Dynasty Warriors
by Relyan
Summary: Unknown to the Ronin, a tenth armor was secretly created by the Ancient as a failsafe in case Talpa captured the other 9 armors. This tenth warrior must aide the Ronin in their fight without revealing her true identity - or the world will be lost.
1. Prologue

**Dynasty Warriors**

_**The Legend of the Nine Armors**_

_The Earth was not always as it is now. Long ago, Earth was home to demons as well as humans. Because demons thrive on chaos, the world was a dark and gloomy place. Mankind, which was very young, lived in constant fear of demons, as they were the cause of the unhappiness and evil in the world._

_Gradually humans learned how to protect themselves against demons, and eventually to banish them to the Netherrealm, a dark and unhappy place where the evil spirits of the world were born. Once free of demons, the Earth rejoiced and grew happy and green. No longer tormented by demons and their strange powers, mankind prospered._

_Then one thousand years ago, a powerful demon named __Youja Teiou Arago, or Talpa, became jealous of the Earth's great beauty, and sought to conquer it. _

_With his mystical armor Talpa broke free of the Netherrealm and entered Earth. Frightened at this powerful demon and without the knowledge to defeat him, the cities of men easily fell under his grasp._

_The world grew dark once more and all hope seemed lost until a single warrior rose to face the demon Talpa. Their contest was a battle unlike anything ever seen before on Earth. But for all his great strength, Talpa could not best the brave warrior, and he was defeated._

_To ensure that the demon could never again enter the Earth, the warrior stripped Talpa of his armor and sealed him in the Netherrealm forever more. _

_But before he was swallowed by the darkness of the Netherrealm, Talpa swore that he would come back to retake the Earth and enslave its inhabitants._

_Afraid that the demon would somehow find a way to return to Earth, the warrior split the captured demon armor into nine separate armors, each infused with a virtue:_

_Righteousness, Justice, Life, Wisdom, Trust, Loyalty, Piety, Serenity, and Obedience. _

_This was done to weaken Talpa. Should he return, he could never regain his full power unless he possessed all nine armors._

_But unknown to the rest of the world, the warrior created a tenth armor, infused with the virtue of Duty. This armor was kept a secret so that not even Talpa knew of its existence. This way, if Talpa returned, he would not regain his powers, not even if he obtained all nine armors._

_This tenth armor was designed as a failsafe: should Talpa return and he control the other nine armors, one would still be free and there would be hope for the world of men._

_And so, without knowledge of the final armor, the Legend of the Nine Armors was born._

Torch of Spirit, sought through five,

Drinking strength from immortal fire,

Darkest prison sheds the light,

Churning beneath a swirl of salt,

Burning within a throne of rock,

Floating amongst the eyes of ages,

Unmoored in the stream of the sky.


	2. Shadowland

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**One**_

Selena Sires stared at the quickly darkening sky and frowned. She was sitting in the University of Tokyo's General Library, surrounded by books on Japanese mythology. The books lay forgotten on the table as she gazed at the storm visible through the window; she knew that this wasn't an ordinary storm.

"Already?" she murmured to herself, somewhat surprised. "Well, there's no telling with the forces of darkness, I suppose."

She stood up, swung her backpack over her shoulder, and headed out of the library, leaving her books where they lay on the table. The last book she'd been reading was still open, and a flash of lightning highlighted the page's prominent title: **Youja Teiou Arago**.

Once outside Selena quickly scanned the black clouds overhead and headed off to where she supposed the center of the storm would break.

She weaved her way through the crowds of pedestrians that were milling about, pointing at the ominous clouds and staring at them in wonder. Selena barely glanced at them as she passed by; there was little point in warning them as their fate had been decided long ago.

Besides, if she went around telling people that a thousand year old monster from another world was about to make its appearance on the streets of modern day Tokyo, she'd either be mocked or committed. And right now, she had time for neither; there was somewhere that she needed to be.

Her destination ended up being in the middle of a shopping district, and she was surprised to see a large crowd gathered on the sides of the streets. Selena thought she heard someone yelling, but it was hard to tell over the noise of the crowd.

_What the hell?_ She thought to herself as she tried to push her way through the densely packed people. _Move!_

Seconds later her unspoken wish was granted. The sky rumbled ominously and a severe clap of thunder broke right above the crowd, instantly breaking windows in a nearby store and sending people into a frenzied panic.

Selena didn't have time to so much as blink before she was being pushed around by various people trying to get away from the falling glass. "Hey!" she shouted, just managing to hold on to her backpack as someone slammed viciously into her. She turned to yell – pointlessly, since everyone was screaming – at the person who'd bumped into her, but in so doing stepped on a fallen shopping bag. She saw the world spin and landed on her back in the now deserted street.

"Are you alright?" a concerned male voice asked from above her.

Selena opened her eyes and blinked rapidly, trying to focus on the figure leaning over her.

When she saw who it was, she cursed.

The man – boy, really – above her was startled by her outburst. "Whoa, there's no need for that."

Selena grimaced. "Er, sorry," she said.

The boy smiled and helped her to her feet. "No problem," he said, moving a stray lock of black hair from his face.

Selena stared briefly at his clear blue eyes and kind, open face before ducking her head, pretending to dust her pants off.

"Thanks," she mumbled, but internally she was glowering.

_Of course I would run practically face first into a ronin, _she thought to herself. She bent to retrieve her backpack from where it had fallen and looked at the young man from the corner of her eye. He was anxiously scanning the deserted mall space, and – thankfully – was ignoring her.

_He doesn't seem to recognize me._ Internally, Selena relaxed slightly. Then she caught sight of the boy's companion and blinked in surprise. _What the hell is a Siberian tiger doing in the middle of the street?_

Suddenly the young man – he could be no more than 15 or 16, Selena thought vaguely – turned to her, his face and voice worried.

"You have to get out of here," he told her.

Selena had no doubt as to why, but she wasn't about to leave a ronin now that she'd found one, so she pretended to play dumb.

Cocking her head to one side and feigning innocence, she asked, "Why?"

The dark-haired man opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a low growl from the tiger. Their gazes both turned to the tiger, and not two seconds later a dark, bulky figure leapt from a digital screen above the city center and landed several feet away from the motley group.

Thankfully, Selena was expecting this and so had enough presence of mind to act astonished and a little frightened. Her male companion slowly turned to look at her. He nodded at the figure, which now that it was closer was clearly a person dressed as an ancient samurai. His voice was filled with regret. "That's why."

"Ah." Selena looked at the menacing figure and back to her companion. "Okay. I'll just – "

"DIE!" the samurai screamed and launched himself at the standing couple.

The boy acted quickly. In a flash he threw himself at Selena, and grabbing her, pulled her to him as he used his body to push them away from the attack.

For the second time that day Selena found herself on her back on the ground. She looked up and was surprised to see that instead of his normal clothes, the boy now wore some kind of red body armor.

_Wow! I didn't even feel him transform! _Out loud she said, "That was quick!" When the boy looked at her strangely, Selena realized her mistake and tried to cover it up. "Uh, nice reflexes?"

Thankfully, the tiger roared, which took the boy's attention away from her. Or so she thought. From behind the boy's shoulder she saw the samurai approaching, a sickle-shaped weapon in hand.

She gasped, he swung, and the boy rolled, taking her with him. As she went over, Selena swore that she felt the wind from their attacker's blade pass over her, and she thanked any and all deities who were listening that this kid seemed to know what he was doing.

Before they'd even come to a complete stop he was off of her and facing the enemy. Without looking at her he said, "Get out of here while you can. I'll hold him off."

And before she was even upright, he lunged at the dark samurai and the two met in battle.

At this point, any sane person would have heeded the boy's words and left. But not Selena. She hadn't come here just to watch the boy fight; she had a job to do, and she was damned if she was going to let a tiny thing like an evil samurai from another dimension stop her.

She got up and securing her backpack, turned to appraise the windowless building in front of her. After taking a few moments to judge the distance to the roof, she nodded and removed herself from the sight of the samurai and ronin.

Selena knelt and opened her backpack. She took from it a small cylinder and what looked like a flare gun. She carefully slipped the cylinder into the barrel of the gun, locked it in place, and stood up. She aimed the gun at the building and fired.

The cylinder shot from the gun and arched toward the roof, a slight smoke trail revealing its path. Selena smiled, satisfied as the cylinder landed on the roof. Seconds later a brilliant white light flared from the rooftop. It spit over the edges of the building briefly before it formed into a strong stream of light that shot straight into the air.

"Well, if there are any other ronin around, that should get their attention," Selena said to herself. She then collected her bag and returned to the battle, where the samurai and ronin were circling one another. If either of the two noticed the beacon, their intense focus on each other didn't show it.

Selena was horrified to see that the boy who'd rescued her wasn't doing as well as she'd hoped. She could tell that the samurai was playing with him to weaken his attacks. Unfortunately, the boy didn't have the experience to know what his enemy was doing, and so he kept leaping at the dark warrior only to have to double back or risk getting hit by the man's sharp blade.

The tiger howled in frustration and Selena secretly agreed with him.

"Come on, boy! Do something!"

Then, unexpectedly, the samurai leveled his blade. Her forehead crinkling in confusion, Selena followed the direction that the blade was pointing in and groaned when she saw a young boy standing frightened and alone not three feet from the where deadly weapon was trained on him.

_Son of a …_

The ground began to shake as the samurai powered up his weapon, and broken shards of concrete rose in the air. The ground near the boy began to crack, and seeing that the kid hadn't moved, Selena began to run.

And was nearly run over by a madwoman on a bicycle.

"Watch out!" the woman cried, and Selena jumped out of the way, the bike's handlebars just barely grazing her arm.

She watched, stupefied as the woman launched herself from the bike and bowled into the boy – the deadly sickle striking where the boy had been standing seconds earlier, cutting the bike in two.

Anger welled inside her, and Selena turned on the dark warrior and yelled, "What kind of a sick person are you, attacking little kids!"

The demon only laughed.

Suddenly she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and realizing in an instant what it was, Selena desperately tried to force her face to remain a mask of anger. But even she was surprised by what was going on, and the samurai noticed the change in her eyes. Quickly he turned around – just in time to see the ronin barreling down on him.

His surprise attack discovered, the boy yelled ferociously, probably hoping to distract or startle his enemy. Unfortunately it didn't work, and the samurai simply moved out of harm's way.

This caught the boy off guard and he faltered, losing some momentum in the process. Taking advantage of this unexpected opportunity, the samurai grabbed the boy and threw him, hard.

Selena, the unknown woman, and the little boy all watched in horror as the ronin flew through the air like a ragdoll.

"Come on, kid!" she shouted, feeling horrible about not knowing the ronin's name, but not knowing what else to call him.

Her cry of encouragement came too late. Still in the air, the samurai threw a chain at the young man and caught him around his ankle. Pulling hard on the chain, the samurai watched in glee as the ronin slammed into the concrete ground.

Selena heard her other two companions gasp in alarm, and the boy spoke, but she was too preoccupied with the battle to hear him.

_Oh god, it can't be over yet!_

A flash of blue caught her eye, and she blinked in shock as another young man, this one in dark blue body armor, threw himself in front of the samurai's attack and stopped the blade from harming the red ronin.

"Another one?" she said, dumbfounded, and then a huge smile broke out over her face.

_Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you!_

With the appearance of a second ronin, they actually stood a chance of winning this battle – and forestalling a worldwide takeover by an evil demon.

This young man had wild blue hair, a large strand of which fell into his eyes as he grinned at the stunned boy behind him.

"Hey, weren't you gonna save some of the action for me?"

Still shocked by his sudden appearance, the boy in red was too flabbergasted to do anything more than stare at the newcomer. The lack of response didn't appear to bother Blue as he turned back to face the samurai, whose attacks had ceased from his own shock at seeing another ronin so soon.

Blue didn't waste time introducing himself. "I'm Rowen, of the Strata Armor."

"And I'm Kento, of the Hardrock!" To the ronin's left another young man appeared, this one dressed in orange. He eyed the samurai with distaste.

He'd barely finished his introduction when a voice whistled from above: "Hey! Up here!"

Almost as one every head in the street turned to see who had shouted. If possible, Selena's face lit up even more when she saw two more ronin standing on top of the building adjacent to the one that was still burning brightly from her beacon.

The one that yelled spoke again. He was dressed in light blue body armor, his companion in green.

"I'm Cye of the Torrent!"

"And I'm Sage of the Halo."

With that, the two ronin jumped from the roof and landed in the street next to the other three.

"Finally, the Ronin Warriors are together at last."

Selena, who'd been beaming up until this point, frowned when she heard that and turned toward the woman who'd spoke. "You know of the Armors?"

The woman, a pretty girl with auburn hair and blue eyes, stared at Selena in shock. "Yes," she finally managed to say. "But how do you – "

She was interrupted by a cry from the warriors in the street. It came from the one in red, the still unnamed ronin.

"And I'm Ryo, of the Wildfire!"

_Ah_, Selena thought wryly, _that takes care of that_.

"Hey!" a hand tugged at her jacket, and Selena looked down to see the kid staring at her earnestly. "You know who these guys are?"

Thankfully she was saved from having to answer because the girl spoke. "There is a legend, that says when the Earth is covered by a wicked dark shadow, the Ronin Warriors will come to save it."

Selena eyed the young woman critically as she spoke. There was something familiar about her …

"You study Japanese mythology at the university, don't you?"

The woman looked mildly surprised. "Yes."

Selena nodded; satisfied that she'd accurately identified the woman. "So do I."

"Oh! Then that explains why you know about the Ronin Warriors."

"I suppose so."

The two women were brought back to the battle by a cry from the little boy. "They're getting creamed!"

And sure enough, the five ronin were having a difficult time with the dark samurai. Each attack was easily shrugged off or deflected by the dynasty warrior, and the ronin didn't seem to know how to approach him. Cye managed to get a few hits in, but the samurai repaid him for it by wrapping his chain around the boy's neck and torso, which effectively ended Torrent's attack.

Seeing two ronin prepare for another go, the dark warrior apparently decided that he'd had enough and lashed out at the four newcomers. His sickle and chain viciously slammed into the foursome, and the ronin backed away from the warrior, eyeing him more warily than when they'd first appraised him.

Selena watched, her fists clenched tightly at her side as the ronin struggled to find an opening. She saw them talking to one another and she hoped that they might finally be coming up with a plan, but she soon realized that they were in fact arguing.

"Great," she murmured to herself. Apparently the girl – Mia, if she remembered correctly from class – was of the same mind, because she stepped forward and told the ronin to get their acts together.

"You must work together as a team, or you'll never defeat the dynasty!"

For about ten seconds, Selena was impressed with Mia's verbal slap. She saw the ronin look over to where they stood in the alley, and she thought that maybe Mia's speech had a positive effect on them. Then she noticed that the dark samurai had noticed them, too.

"Why don't you three join us?" He yelled and threw his chain at them.

_Oh, shi – _

Selena didn't have time to finish her thought before the warrior's chain surrounded them and she found herself squashed against Mia and the little boy, who was shaking in fear. She felt the chain tighten and suddenly her body was yanked into the air as the warrior pulled them to him with incredible strength.

"What the - ?" Her head slammed against Mia's when they hit the ground. Clearing her now aching head, Selena glared up at the samurai and spit an obscenity that, much to her chagrin, only made him laugh.

"What a naughty little mouth you have there," the samurai said and lifted Selena closer to him. He mockingly caressed her lips as he spoke. "You should watch that; it could get you into trouble."

Glaring daggers at him and disgusted far beyond what she thought was possible, Selena responded in a succinct, yet entirely appropriate way: she spit in his face.

The samurai gave a cry of rage and as punishment, squeezed harder on the chains holding Selena and her two companions together. All three cried out from the pain as the metal links dug deeply into their skin, the pressure crushing their internal organs.

"Can someone please help us?" the boy cried desperately.

Seeing a child tortured by the dynasty was more than Kento could take. Without thinking he sped toward the warrior, intent on taking him down. The samurai laughed, amused and simply held the captured trio in front of him. Kento, refusing to harm the helpless bystanders, stopped and glared at the warrior.

Selena, who was way beyond caring at this point, returned his glare. "We're hostages, you moron! Don't attack!"

Pressed against him, she felt the warrior's rumbling laugh. "That's right. You wouldn't want to damage your little friends."

As if to demonstrate, the samurai then wrapped another chain around their necks and lifted them high into the air.

Selena wanted to scream, the pain was so intense, but found that she couldn't because the chain was pressing against her windpipe. It was the strangest sensation – her mouth gaped open and yet no air filled her lungs. The boy, who was much smaller than herself or Mia, managed to gasp out a tiny, "I'm choking!" before what little air he had left his lungs. She knew without a doubt that if they didn't get air soon, they were going to die.

"Wait! Stop!" one of the ronin yelled. She didn't know which, and she didn't really care. All she cared about was breathing, and breathing soon. The voice continued. "If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get!"

Very slightly the pressure against their bodies let up, and they all gasped and coughed as their lungs filled with blessed air. Although he let them breathe, the warrior relented only a little in his grip. In other words, Selena, Mia, and the boy were still in a god-awful lot of pain.

Even through the pain, Selena could see that the ronin were angry and finally united against the dark samurai.

_This_, she thought as the still too tight chain dug into her body, _is the worst motivation, ever._

She was still coughing when the ronin called upon their armor, and so their moment of transformation registered in her awareness as nothing more than flashing lights and a ringing headache.

The kid, however, went rigid at her side and thinking that he was choking, Selena opened her eyes, fought the blackness that threatened to overtake her vision, and swung her head around as best as she could to check on him. She released a short sigh when she saw that he was okay and breathing. Seconds later, she saw what held his attention.

Five brightly armored warriors stood before them with their weapons drawn, their bodies easily slipping into fighting positions. Selena, who had been waiting for this moment for a very long time, thought that she'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

Beside her, Mia was agape with astonishment as well. Selena couldn't blame her; enormous power practically radiated off the five ronin, courtesy of the magic that brought the armors forth and that coursed through them. It was stunning, soothing, and terrifying all at once.

Apparently the samurai was more inclined to be terrified at the ronin's new appearance, for despite his lofty words, Selena felt him tremble.

"So you think you're a match for me?"

"Just watch!" Ryo yelled and charged.

The warrior deftly stepped behind his captives, and displaying them for the ronin to see, gleefully tightened their binds. Seeing this, Ryo ceased his charge. The warrior laughed and struck Ryo with his sickle. Caught off guard, Ryo yelled as he was thrown against a heavy wall.

Despite his brief triumph over Wildfire, the warrior only tightened his hold on the helpless humans, and they cried out in pain.

Kento had had enough. "You cruel devil! Let them go!"

"Cruel?" The samurai mocked. "You'll see just how cruel the dynasty can be!" And with those words, the dark warrior flung his captives into the block's giant digital screen.

Instead of being electrocuted or killed by thousands of glass shards, Selena, Mia, and the boy were sucked into the screen, where they promptly became the area's central entertainment.

Strangely enough, being thrown into and then absorbed by a giant television by a warrior from an otherworldly demonic dynasty was far from the most bizarre thing that had happened to Selena in her life. So, while her two companions were understandably freaking out, Selena just took it in stride. Although, just to put on a good show and to not arouse any suspicions, she screamed and yelled just as much as the other two.

Within seconds, she wasn't pretending. Pain unlike she'd ever felt struck her in the chest and she screamed, her throat going raw at the effort.

If she'd had the ability to think coherently, Selena would have realized that one of the ronin – the dark blue one, Strata – had shot his deadly arrow at their enemy, and it was the piercing sting of his arrow that caused her and her companions such pain. Somehow, they were still connected to the dark warrior, and now they were the recipients of the attacks upon his person.

Of course, Selena, Mia, and the boy weren't cognizant of that fact; it wasn't until the pain finally – blissfully – began to subside and was interrupted by the sudden terrible feeling of her torso being ripped in two by a sharp blade that Selena understood what was happening.

In that brief moment before the attack on their bodies began again, Selena looked down to glare maliciously at the dark warrior, only to see him – unreasonably, she thought – attack himself by running the tip of his blade across his chest. When her own chest erupted into flaming agony, Selena understood their situation.

If she hadn't been screaming, she would have cursed.

Ryo, however, wasn't going to let the dark warrior get away with his torture. He took his twin katanas from their place on his back and placed the hilts together. With a wave of his hand they melted into each other to form a single double-bladed sword. Staring hard in deep loathing at his enemy, Ryo leapt at him, screaming his attack as he came crashing down on the samurai.

"FLARE UP NOW!"

At first Selena thought that this was really going to fucking hurt, and then she saw the brilliance of Ryo's plan. The only way to stop the dynasty warrior was to defeat him. Knowing that basic attacks would only harm innocent victims, and not the dark samurai, Ryo opted to overwhelm him with his own massive attack. The power of the Wildfire Armor would then sever the warrior's control over Selena and her fellow captives, or so Selena desperately hoped.

For a brief moment both Ryo and the dark warrior were visible, and then a massive blinding explosion removed them and the near vicinity from mortal vision. A colossal shockwave shook the earth, and the surrounding buildings groaned on their foundations. Seconds later a deafening crash filled the air, and Selena became dizzy from the noise.

Above it all were the frantic screams of the dark warrior as his body was consumed by Ryo's attack.

Finally, the light receded and stillness descended over the now destroyed shopping center. The ronin gaped, amazed as they stared at a gigantic hole that Ryo's attack had made in the building behind which the samurai had stood. The attack had nearly ripped the structure in two, and the ronin could see almost to the block on the other side. The building sagged and groaned ominously, as though it would collapse on itself.

For a moment, no one said anything. Then the screen went blank and Selena and her companions found themselves falling toward the hard ground before they were caught in mid-air by the giant white tiger Selena had seen earlier in the street.

He landed gracefully on the pavement and allowed the three to climb off of his back.

"Thanks, uh tiger," Selena said awkwardly as she patted his head. Mia dusted off her shorts and the little boy threw himself at the tiger, wrapped his arms around the beast's large head and hugged him.

"That was brilliant!" he shouted into the tiger's fur, and the animal yipped in agreement.

"Well, that wasn't too bad!"

Selena rolled her eyes while Kento boasted about the ease of the battle. Sure, it was easy for him to say – he hadn't been choked or electrified. Speaking of which, she gingerly checked her injuries from her encounter with the dark samurai. She couldn't decide which felt worse: her bruised ribs or the searing pain across her chest.

Oh, joy.

Finished with her quick inspection, Selena turned to her two companions. "Are you alright?"

Mia nodded and then grimaced as she did so; her neck was still sore from being choked. The boy, still praising the tiger, didn't hear her.

"Hey," she called, and the boy turned. She kneeled so that she was level with him and smiled. "I'm Selena."

The boy removed himself from the tiger and came up to her, wiping brown hair from his face as he did so. "I'm Yuli," he said.

"Are you all right, Yuli?"

The boy blushed. "I'm a little sore," he admitted.

Selena nodded, thinking that if he was only a little sore then he was a very lucky kid. "Okay. Just take it easy, and don't do anything rash."

Yuli grinned. "Like get captured by an evil goon soldier?"

Selena smiled back. "Yeah. Like that."

The peaceful atmosphere was broken as cruel and manic laughter rang throughout the shopping center. The hairs stood on the back of her neck and Selena shuddered. She stood up and turned, trying to find where that sound had come from.

She knew instinctively that sound came from a demon. It was too cold, too cruel to have been made by a human.

The voice spoke, and in that same instant she saw him. He stood on the roof of a building parallel to where they were in the street. Like the ronin, he wore a suit of armor. But unlike their armors' bright colors, his was draped in darkness. Even from the great distance that separated them, Selena could feel the hate and anger that radiated off of him. It was so cold and so pervasive that it shook her to her very core.

The demon laughed and idly twirled his weapon, which Selena noted with an ugly twist in her gut, was a sickle on a metal chain. But unlike the weapon used by her recent tormentor, this one had a spiked metal ball attached to the opposite end of the chain. Its purpose was very clear, and Selena could not help but pale at the sight of it.

"I watched your battle carefully, ronin. You barely won." He laughed. "You're all very weak."

Insulted by the demon's evaluation of their skills, Ryo shot back, "And who are you?"

"We, small boy, are the four dark warlords who serve the Emperor Talpa!"

Selena's mouth fell open in shock. Four dark warlords? That meant that Talpa already had four of the nine armors!

"Oh, great. That's just wonderful," she muttered to herself. Suddenly, this day wasn't going as well as she'd hoped.

The demon continued. "I am their leader, Anubis, master of Cruelty."

Suddenly the coldness she heard in his voice made perfect sense, as did the words spoken earlier by the dark samurai.

_Cruel? You'll see just how cruel the dynasty can be!_

A new voice spoke, and the ronin and their three companions whipped their heads around, startled to see another warrior overlooking them on a different rooftop.

He looked down at them disdainfully as he introduced himself. "I am Cale, warlord of Corruption."

From the opposite end of the center, another voice rang out, and Selena twisted her head to see this newcomer.

"I am Sekhmet, warlord of Venom."

Then from behind them another voice spoke. As she turned to face this person, she hoped that it was the last – she was really starting to get dizzy.

"I am Dais, warlord of Illusion."

Like their leader, all three warlords screamed of darkness and hate. Selena had never been the direct focus of such concentrated hate, and despite her resolve she quailed under their narrowed gazes.

All four warlords wore armor similar to the ronin's, but each was distinct in its own way. Cale's armor was brown with twin spikes jutting from the chest and helmet that reminded Selena inexplicably of a butterfly, or an angel of death.

Sekhmet's armor was green and red, with oversized shoulder blades. Two long swords on his back were visible over his armor, which made her think of Ryo's own twin blades. Suddenly Selena had a vision of Ryo as a warlord, his armor blackened and corrupted by the evil in his soul, his kind features twisted into one of malignancy. She resolutely pushed that image from her mind, and was relieved – somewhat strangely – to see Sekhmet's cool gaze staring back at her.

In a near reversal of Sekhmet's armor, Dais' was light purple and green. The most striking feature about his armor were the six swords sticking out of his back, which made him look like a ferocious spider. Selena decided that facing him in battle would be an experience not to repeat.

And then there was Anubis. Of the four, his armor was the most simple. It closely resembled that of the ancient samurai that once existed in Japan, with the exception of a brown and gold outer robe that he wore over his armor. Selena wondered briefly at that, but what happened next broke her inspection of his armor and brought her focus back to reality.

Powerful lightning rent the air, striking the buildings and ground around them. Selena, Mia, and Yuli instinctively flinched and nervously looked around them while the ronin stared, unmoved at the vision before them.

A fortress straight out of ancient history appeared on top of part of the city. The paved streets and sky rise buildings of modern Tokyo grew dark as an Ashikaga-period palace and a giant city wall appeared above the city, stretching far into the sky.

Then, much to everyone's surprise, a giant floating head – if you could call it that, since it was really an elaborate kabuto eerily similar to that worn by Prince Takeda Shingen – appeared, facing them above the city.

The head's voice was booming and carried with it confidence, authority, and promises of pain.

"I, Ronin am Talpa. I am the ruler of the Netherrealm. Now is the time that my empire shall ascend!"

Selena watched in shock as the four warlords suddenly turned into bright orbs of light and ascended into the sky. His young voice trembling in fear, Yuli asked of anyone, "What's going on?"

Selena could only shake her head. "Bad things, Yuli. Bad things."

Mia was more helpful. "It has begun. War against the dynasty!"

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled ominously as more pitch-black clouds rolled in, blocking out the remaining strands of sunlight over the city.

As shadows descended over the group's tense forms, Talpa's rumbling laugh sent tremors of fear through all who heard it.

"I reign over this world, now and forever!"

Selena, ever the optimist, had only one coherent thought:

_Shit._

_

* * *

_

**Notes:**

_Youja Teiou Arago_ is the Japanese name of Talpa. Translated it means 'Demon Emperor Arago.'

When I described Cale's armor, I described it as both like a butterfly and the angel of death. This is because in Celtic mythology, butterflies are symbols of death and rebirth; the angel reference was an allusion to Cale's mastery over darkness and death.

The word 'malignancy' comes from the Latin roots mal (bad) and ignis (fire). When I used the term to describe an evil Ryo, I was making an oblique reference to the corruption of his armor's element (fire).

The _Ashikaga period _in Japan began in 1333 and ended in 1573. Also known as the Muromachi period, it marked the time in which Japan was governed by the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, so named because the Ashikaga family ruled Japan during this period. I chose this period to date Talpa's fortress because according to several sources, it was the last time he was on Earth (Late 1560s, when he collected the warlords and their armors), and so I went on the assumption that his fortress would most likely reflect the architectural styles of that time.

A _kabuto_ is the term used for a samurai helmet.

_Takeda Shingen_ was the eldest son of Prince Takeda Nobutora, and as a samurai commander he reconstructed law and order in Kai province (now Yamanashi prefecture), combined military and civil administration, and provided his people with more security and wealth than those in any of the other provinces. He lived from 1521 to 1573, which places him within the end the Ashikaga period. His kabuto and Talpa's had similar turnbacks, neck guard, and kuwagata (horned crest), and both had hair flowing from the top of their kabuto. See Takeda Shingen's armor at www . japanese-armor . com / japanese-armor . shtml (remove spaces to go to the website).


	3. Glory for Anubis

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Two**_

Talpa's laughter still ringing in their ears, the ronin looked at each other with varying expressions of resolution on their faces. Selena was glad to see that instead of dampening their spirits, Talpa's speech only increased their determination to fight.

_Thank goodness_, she thought and allowed herself to breathe easier.

It might seem like a given that the ronin would try to defeat Talpa and his minions, but Selena knew from experience that destiny was as much a choice as it was fortune. Just because the ronin had been chosen to wield a mystical armor didn't mean that they had to fight the evil that sought it.

Selena was very glad that they had decided to stay.

It was Yuli who broke the sudden quiet.

"Yippee! You guys totally nailed that goon!"

The ronin turned to look at the small boy and smiled. "Yeah, I guess we did," Ryo said, a bit embarrassed by Yuli's veracity.

Sage was less accepting of the trio's presence and asked suspiciously, "Who are you?"

Mia spoke first. "I'm Mia Koji – "

"I'm Yuli! Thanks for rescuing us!" the boy practically beamed.

"I'm Selena Sires, and uh, ditto."

Apparently introductions weren't enough to satisfy their curiosity since Rowen asked next, "How did you get here?"

Mia and Selena exchanged brief glances. "Well – " Selena began, but Ryo answered for her.

"She got caught up in a crowd and couldn't get away in time. Then that soldier showed up and attacked her."

Torn between being irritated that he'd interrupted her and thankful – for Ryo had unknowingly provided her with the perfect excuse – Selena decided to simply go with this unexpected opportunity.

She shrugged a little sheepishly. "Yeah, today hasn't really been my day. Ryo," she continued, turning toward the ronin, "that armor of yours was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. Which I am very glad you saved, by the way."

Ryo blushed and tried to brush her compliment off. "It was nothing, don't worry about it."

Selena grinned as the attention was successfully deflected from her, and Mia spoke.

"My grandfather sent me to the city and my car died."

Yuli shrugged. "I just got lost."

Everyone laughed at this. Kento smiled at Yuli. "Maybe we can help you find your parents?"

Yuli's eyes grew wide. "Could you?"

Gazing at the darkness that surrounded them, Ryo's voice was subdued as he answered the boy. "Maybe."

Mia, who sensed the same urgency that Ryo did, brought the group's attention to the task at hand.

"Listen," she said, her voice insistent, "the reason I came here was – "

A loud high-pitched wailing interrupted her. They looked up to see a missile fly overhead toward Talpa's castle. Seconds later a squadron of military jets shot over the group, their engines screaming as they fell into an attack position in the sky between the city and the floating fortress.

"What's going on?" Yuli asked.

"I think," Mia began, her voice halting, "that they're going to attack the dynasty."

Selena tore her gaze from the scene above and whipped around to face Mia. "But that's ludicrous! They have no chance! They'll be – "

As if to confirm Selena's hysterical cries, one of the planes suddenly exploded. Immediately the other fighters opened fire, and the once-peaceful city instantly became a war zone.

The dull sound of bullets flying at high speeds, combined with the hissing of deadly missiles and the grinding whine of the planes as their pilots maneuvered the craft into dizzying turns and dives was deafening, and absolutely terrifying.

But it was also somewhat uplifting. If the military could somehow find a weakness in the dynasty's barriers, then they could exploit it.

But it was not to be. The bullets and missiles never made it to the fortress. The dynasty's power simply used mankind's weapons against them. Like a scene from a horror film, the ronin and their companions could do nothing more than look on in dread as the missiles turned in mid-air and struck the defending aircraft.

Of course, this also made the group's position all the more dangerous. Mia, Selena, and Yuli screamed as a stray missile slammed into a nearby building, sending concrete, glass, and steel debris flying everywhere.

Rubbing bits of dirt and god knew what else from her eyes, Selena looked up and felt her body freeze in terror as she caught sight of an airplane spiraling out of control that was – naturally – headed right towards them.

Thankfully the ronin had better reflexes. In a flash Sage whipped out his sword, ran toward the incoming craft and yelled, "THUNDER BOLT CUT!"

Wicked hot lightning formed around his sword, glowing so bright that it made Selena's eyes water. She watched, amazed as Sage took his sword and deftly cut the airplane in two. The now two airborne pieces ricocheted away from the shopping center and flew a few blocks before they exploded against a distant group of buildings.

Although she was impressed with and eternally grateful for Sage's abilities, Selena very much wanted to get the hell away from the battle before it turned deadly. She yelled as much to the ronin, but it was impossible to hear over the din of explosions, falling rubble, and the whines of dying aircraft.

However, Ryo apparently knew what she was trying to say. He gestured for Selena, Mia, and Yuli to come closer to the ronin, which they did, gratefully. Once they were together, Ryo yelled, "Come on!" and the group followed him into a nearby subway station.

Everyone was visibly relieved to be out of the line of fire. Yuli practically collapsed as soon as they entered the tunnel, and Selena sought solace against one of the subway walls. The emergency lighting, though dim, was a welcome sight; it reminded everyone that for the moment, they were safe.

For a moment no one spoke, and all that could be heard were the dulled sounds of battle as the dynasty slaughtered the defenses of men.

Listening to the crashes and feeling the vibrations of explosions through the wall, Selena sent a silent prayer to guide the souls of those lost in their defense of the city and its inhabitants.

Turning to the ronin, Mia spoke urgently.

"We have to find a way out of here. We'll never defeat the dynasty if we don't get to my grandfather."

Selena's ears pricked up at that. What could this woman's grandfather possibly know about the dynasty?

Apparently the ronin were thinking the same thing because Ryo asked, "How do you know about the dynasty?"

"I study ancient mythology, and my grandfather is an expert on the legend of the ronin warriors."

"So you're the one who set up the signal!"

Mia looked at Cye, confused. "What signal?"

"The beam of light on top of the building where Ryo was fighting the demon." Cye frowned. "That wasn't you?"

"No," Selena said. "It was me."

As one, everyone turned their attention to her. All had various expressions of shock, intrigue, and mistrust on their faces. She carefully studied the ronin's faces, and was glad to see that none of them appeared to recognize her.

_Good_, she thought. _I'm safe._

"That was you?" Cye asked, his voice incredulous.

Sage shot out: "So you just happened to have a flare on you?"

Selena looked from Cye to Sage, glad that she now knew how to respond. She sighed and held out her hands in a placating manner. "Yes, and no. I saw that Ryo was in need of help, and figured that if any more ronin were in the area you'd see the flare and head that way." She smiled as she looked at the five young men. "I was right."

Kento blinked. "Whoa, wait. So you know about the dynasty, too?"

Again, Selena was spared from having to answer, this time by Mia.

"She studies Japanese mythology at the university with me."

"You two know each other?" Cye asked while an exasperated Rowen exclaimed, "How many other people know about the dynasty?"

Sensing Mia's hesitation, Selena quickly answered the ronin's questions. "I just started at the university; Mia and I haven't met before today."

Sage looked at Selena critically. "You say you just started, but then how did you know about us and the dynasty?'

Selena smiled; this she could answer. "I'm an exchange student. Before coming to Japan I studied folklore and concentrated on East Asian legends. I learned Japanese and came here with the intent of focusing solely on the Ronin Legend." She smiled wryly. "I never dreamed that I would get such an intimate chance to see it in action."

Sage muttered, "I bet you didn't," while Ryo asked Mia, "So what's this about your grandfather?"

Mia explained. "My grandfather sent me to find you all and bring you back to him. He knows more about the legend and your armor than anyone else!"

Selena snorted quietly. _I sincerely doubt that_, she thought.

Upon hearing Mia's words, Ryo shook his head. "I'm sure it would be nice to meet your grandfather, Mia, but we have a dynasty to fight."

"Yeah!" Shouted Kento. "We're gonna squash those goons!"

Silently hoping that he was right, Selena noticed that Kento held a bag of chips in his hand, and wondered briefly where he got it until she saw the broken snack machine behind him.

Yuli saw the snack, too, and his stomach growled noticeably. The boy blushed. "Hey, Kento, do you have any more of that stuff?"

The ronin was confused for a moment, and then he smiled. "Yeah, sure thing, kid. There's plenty over here."

With that, Yuli hopped gleefully down from the bench he'd been sitting on and followed Kento to the open snack machine. The others watched, amused as the boy tore open a package of small sticky buns and quickly began shoving them in his mouth. Obviously it had been a while since he'd last had anything to eat.

"Hey there, slow down! You don't want to get sick," Cye admonished with a smile on his face. Looking over the top of one bun, Yuli only grinned.

While Kento and Yuli were so occupied, it dawned on everyone that the explosions had stopped, and had been silent for some time.

"I wonder if the battle is over," Mia mused.

Sage shot a significant look toward Rowen, who nodded back. Sage pushed himself off the wall and turned to the others.

"Well, we're going to go check on things outside. We'll let you know what we see."

Ryo nodded. "If the dynasty shows up – "

Rowen interrupted him. "We'll let you know, don't worry."

"Okay. White Blaze, go with them."

The giant white tiger growled his understanding, and eagerly followed the two ronin up the stairs and out of the subway.

Mia stared after the departed ronin. "Now what do we do?"

Selena pulled pointedly at her dirty clothes. "We wash up, and we wait."

XX

Selena had never been so eternally grateful to have running water in her life. She was in the ladies room in the subway, and after cautiously turning the faucet had practically jumped for joy when cool, clear water streamed into the sink.

Thanking the gods for small favors, Selena cupped her hands in the cool water and splashed her face, trying to clean herself of the dirt and grime that had accumulated on her skin from the day's adventures.

Dabbing her face dry with a paper towel from a nearby dispenser, she looked closely at her reflection in the mirror. Selena frowned, her brown eyes narrowing as she looked herself over critically. Gods, she was a mess. Her jacket and shirt had stains from god knew what on them, as well as plenty of dirt like that on her face and neck. She looked closer and her eyes widened. Was that a piece of concrete in her hair? Flabbergasted as to how it even got there, much less how it had managed to stay in her hair, Selena leaned forward and carefully removed the offending debris from her short blonde locks.

Holding the small block of concrete with two fingers, she distastefully dropped it in the garbage bin and shook her head in disgust.

"Apparently I'm attracting all sorts of garbage today," she said to herself as she gingerly moved her jacket away from her neck to inspect the damage done by the dark samurai.

A nearly perfect ring of ugly blue and purple bruises wrapped around her neck, looking for all the world like some kind of sadistic necklace. Selena fished from her backpack a small case of balm that she usually carried with her and applied it sparingly to the bruises on her neck.

Next she checked her ribs. Satisfied that none were broken, she lifted her shirt and nearly swore when she saw red impressions of chains on her lower stomach. Like her neck, bruises surrounded these marks, too.

"I'll just have to take it easy," Selena decided, lowering her shirt. She put the balm in her pocket. "I'm not the only one with injuries."

Grabbing her bag, Selena left the restroom and joined Mia, Yuli, Ryo, Cye, and Kento in the subway entryway.

"Here," she said, sitting next to Mia. "This should help with the bruises."

"Thanks," Mia said, taking the offered balm from Selena's hands and opened the jar.

Mia winced as she touched her neck. Noticing this, Ryo asked her what was wrong.

"Just cleaning up after that dynasty soldier," Selena answered. Seeing his confused look, she pulled her jacket and shirt away from her neck to display the bruises there. Ryo's eyes widened and he quickly looked away.

"I'm sorry," he said, eyes downcast.

Selena was surprised at the emotion in his voice. "Hey, it wasn't your fault. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Besides, if you guys hadn't shown up when you did, we'd be in a lot worse condition than we are now."

Ryo raised his head to look at her. Selena smiled gently to show that she wasn't upset with him, and the boy returned her smile.

"Yes," Mia concurred, "we owe you our lives. Thank you." Here she looked at each of the ronin present, and the young men all blushed, as they didn't quite know what to say.

Selena called for Yuli to come over for Mia to check his wounds, and thus ended the awkward moment.

Thankfully the boy had been right when he told Selena that he wasn't hurt that bad; unlike Mia and herself, Yuli had minor bruising around his neck and under his arms. Even so she reminded him to not play too hard. The little boy nodded and slipped off of the bench to sit between Kento and Cye, who began teaching him a hand game.

Feeling secure for the time being, Selena decided to get some sleep, and closed her eyes.

She had barely begun to drift off when Kento's voice startled her out of her sleep.

"Hey! So what's it look like topside?"

Selena opened her eyes and saw that Sage and Rowen had returned from their patrol of the city. Rowen shook his head, his eyes telling the group all they needed to know.

"It's pretty desolate up there. The dynasty sure did one heck of a job clearing out the place; there was no sign of the enemy anywhere!"

Sage sighed. "It looks like we'll be camping out down here for a while."

Hearing this, Selena almost went back to sleep but then Ryo said, "Where's White Blaze?"

Moments later the tiger raced down the stairs, yipping and growling all the way, his fur on end.

Before anyone could ask what this meant, the subway roof shook, hard. Instinctively the five ronin placed themselves in front of their three weaker companions. A few seconds later it happened again, and this time chunks of the ceiling fell down and hit the tiled floor with loud crashes.

By this time Selena was wide-awake, but it wasn't from the falling debris. Her eyes were trained on the ceiling near the entrance as the distant rumbling came closer. Her eyes narrowed; was it her imagination, or did that sound like footsteps?

Suddenly part of the ceiling gave way, and Selena found herself staring at a monstrous metal ball and chain. Internally she grimaced; how many times would she have to face that weapon today?

Then the ball slammed upward, obviously pulled by whoever wielded it and the remaining ceiling fell through to the subway floor. Debris and plaster filled the air, which made it difficult to see or breathe, but they had no problem hearing the malicious laughter coming from their topside tormentor – the subway tunnel actually enhanced the cold laughs by amplifying and warping the sound, which made it far worse than it actually was.

Out of the corner of her eye Selena saw Yuli shaking in fear from the subhuman sound, and a fierce hatred for their unknown enemy flooded her body.

"Who are you?" she heard one of the ronin shout; she didn't know which since she still had difficulty seeing through the fine grains of plaster and dust that hung in the air of the tunnel.

Another wave of laughter was the only response. Selena rubbed her eyes and facing the light streaming into the subway from the newly created hole, blinked rapidly to see what was going on.

Her blood ran cold when she saw the leader of the dark warlords, Anubis, staring gleefully down at where she and Mia stood just behind the ruined subway ceiling.

"Excellent! She's with them!" the demon cried and smiled cruelly.

For one horrifying moment, Selena thought the demon was talking about her.

_Oh, God! Does he know who I am?_

Then the warlord attacked, and it became obvious that he wasn't after her, but Mia. Selena felt guilty at the incredible wave of relief that washed over her as she realized the demon's target; she knew that she shouldn't be glad at Mia's misfortune, but her exhilaration at not being discovered was overwhelming.

Anubis threw his chain into the tunnel and it just missed striking Mia in the head. Mia ducked and screamed, and Selena had just enough presence of mind to grab the other woman and pull her to the ground as the demon's deadly sickle followed seconds after the chain.

Selena was furious. _What is this, pick on the helpless day?_

"Selena! Mia!" Yuli cried and ran towards them.

At the sound of her name, Selena whipped her head around and her eyes widened in horror as she caught sight of Yuli, who was struggling through the debris to make it to the crouching women. Preoccupied as he was, the boy couldn't see the deadly blade that was headed toward him. Cold fear gripping her heart, Selena screamed, "YULI! GET DOWN!"

The boy hesitated, her scream startling him, and then her words reached his ears and he dropped to the ground. And not a moment too soon: he'd barely reacted to her warning as the blade neared, so close that it caught on Yuli's sweater and tore it as the sickle swung low over where the boy had been standing.

Yuli cried out when he felt the blade catch his clothes and huddled, terrified on the floor of the subway.

"Hey!" Ryo's voice was furious. "Why pick on them when you can have a real fight?"

Anubis simply laughed and twirled his weapon. As he prepared to attack again, Selena realized what the warlord was doing.

"He's playing with us!" Hunched next to her, Mia's eyes widened when she heard Selena speak. Selena looked fervently at Mia. "The ronin are helpless if we're here; that's why he's attacking us."

"So he doesn't mean to harm us?"

Selena looked back at Anubis, who crushed a nearby wall, causing more debris to cover their exit. "I don't know about that," she replied.

"Then what do we do?"

While this discussion was going on, the ronin were also debating about which course of action to take.

"We've got to protect them!" Sage said while keeping his eyes trained on Anubis.

"Then how're we supposed to fight this guy?" Kento asked.

No one said anything as they dodged another attack from the warlord. Another cry rang out behind them as Anubis destroyed another section of the wall, and the ronin's eyes hardened.

"It doesn't matter," Ryo said. "We have to make sure they're safe."

Rowen agreed. "We'll take him down together!"

"Form the circle!" Cye shouted and the ronin fell into formation around Selena, Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze.

"Circle of Light!" Ryo yelled and one by one they called for their armors.

Selena stared, impressed when the mystical armor was summoned but did not settle on the ronin; instead each armor hovered in front of its wielder. Colored lights shot out from the armor and linked to each other to form a crisscrossing pentagon.

"What is this?" Yuli asked.

"It's the Circle of Light. It will protect us from all harm," Mia answered.

"Yeah," Selena said, "but who will protect them?"

She and Mia shared a worried glance as the ronin left the circle to face Anubis. Once topside the ronin easily fell into defensive positions as they faced the warlord, who was readying his weapon for another attack.

Ryo glowered at the demon. "You're name is Anubis, right? Well your tyranny ends today!"

Anubis only laughed. "Ronin warriors, do you really think that you can protect them from me? I will dissolve your circle as soon as I defeat you; you have chosen a battle that you cannot possibly win!"

"Yeah? Well we'll see about that!" Kento yelled and the ronin attacked.

Inside the subway, Selena caught glances of the battle, but since she really could not see it she had to rely on sounds to tell her what was going on. From the grunts, yells, and distant thuds she gathered that the ronin weren't doing so well. Even Yuli knew this as he stomped his feet and yelled in frustration, "They need their armor! Why don't they use it?"

"They won't use it as long as we're here," Mia said.

Yuli pouted. "Then why don't we leave?"

White Blaze growled at this and Mia frowned. "We can't leave the Circle, Yuli; Anubis will attack us to get to the ronin."

Mia continued to placate the young boy, but Selena wasn't listening. The kid had given her an idea.

"Yes," she murmured to herself, "why don't we just leave?"

Selena eyed the bands of energy that surrounded them critically. The Circle, though powerful, was not complete; it was missing a critical component and Selena thought she knew how to break it.

_With the Circle broken the ronin will be able to use their armor, and together they can defeat that warlord._

Her decision made, Selena moved closer to the beams. After making sure that no one was watching, she pulled a small round object from her pants pocket and carefully held it between two connecting beams. It was like setting off a small bomb; the beams flickered and then the entire subway station was engulfed in a searing white light. Thankfully it only lasted a moment, and Selena sincerely hoped that it hadn't caught Anubis' attention.

When the light receded the beams were gone and ronin's armors were visible for only an instant before they, too disappeared.

"What happened to the Circle?" Mia cried, looking around her in confusion.

Selena opted to be just as confused as her companion. She furrowed her brow and raised her head toward the hole in the ceiling where the ronin had disappeared earlier. "The ronin must be in greater trouble than we thought."

"But what – "

Selena, who was not eager to be interrogated, cut her off. "Come on!" she shouted and ran up the stairs with White Blaze on her heels. After a moment Mia and Yuli followed her out of the subway and into the battle.

What they saw made them stop in shock. Selena's prediction that the ronin were in trouble was dead-on: they watched openmouthed in horror as Anubis easily repelled the group's attacks. The warlord slammed his knee into Kento's stomach, which sent the young man sprawling, and a second later threw Ryo against a building.

"No!" Yuli screamed as he saw Ryo fly helplessly in the air, his body limp.

No amount of hope or prayer could stop the ronin from colliding with the building, but the youth's cry did serve a purpose: it alerted the ronin to their presence.

Of course, that meant that Anubis noticed them, too.

Both the ronin and the warlord stared flabbergasted at the quartet's sudden emergence from the subway. Then Anubis smiled, and with a deep sense of foreboding Selena yelled to the still-stunned ronin, "The Circle is broken! Summon your armors!"

Unfortunately, Anubis's reaction was blindingly fast.

"No you don't," he shouted, whipping his weapon into a familiar position. "QUAKE WITH FEAR!"

The warlord threw his chain into the street, where it broke through the cement and disappeared. For a moment Selena thought that the demon had missed, and then hundreds of beams of angry red light shot through the street and flew through the space around them.

"What is this?" she heard one of the ronin ask, and as the lights faded to reveal metal chains a heavy feeling of dread settled in her stomach.

"Oh no," she moaned. "Not again."

The chains filled the street and became embedded in buildings, walls, and anything that would hold them. They crisscrossed one another and strangled everything caught in their path. Selena tried to move away from the lights around her, but they were too close and she found herself an unwilling captive once more.

She tried pulling the chains apart, but found – much to her chagrin – that any movement only caused the chains to become tighter. Similar sounds of struggle echoed throughout the street and she knew that the ronin had been caught in the attack as well.

Without thinking, Selena cursed. Apparently the warlord heard her because he laughed.

"How disappointing. I thought you'd promised me a fight, ronin. This was much too easy."

Ignoring the ronin's protests, Anubis walked over to where Mia was struggling to free herself of the enchanted chains. Standing in front of her, he smiled.

"You're coming with me," he said. "My master is eager to speak with you." Still smiling cruelly, he reached out a hand to grab the young woman.

_Oh, god!_ Selena thought wildly. She didn't know why Talpa wanted Mia, but it couldn't be for anything good. She shut her eyes and cried out in a final, desperate plea, _Master! Please!_

She'd barely finished the thought when she heard the warlord let out a strangled cry of surprise.

Selena opened her eyes and nearly sagged in relief, although she arranged her features into an expression of shock in case anyone was watching. It wouldn't do for someone to catch her happy to see what she – supposedly – had never seen before.

A golden shakujo stood in the ground between Anubis and Mia, its six rings jingling in warning as they settled against the upturned metal of the staff. In the same instant that the rings fell quiet the demon's chains shattered and disappeared.

Anubis stared around him in shock, but it quickly turned to anger. He snarled at Mia. "You may be free but you're still mine!"

Mia shrunk in front of the warlord's intimidating figure, and the ronin leapt toward her, but they didn't need to worry. As soon as Anubis stepped toward her, the staff flared and crackled, revealing an impenetrable energy field around Mia, Yuli, and Selena. Undaunted, the warlord swung at his quarry with his sickle, an attack that the staff easily repelled. A single pulse of energy stopped the sickle as soon as it touched the shield and sent the blade flying back at its owner.

The weapon slammed into Anubis and sent the warlord flying. Seeing this, the ronin quickly summoned their armor.

"Armor of Wildfire, dao Jin!"

"Armor of Hardrock, dao Gi!"

"Armor of Torrent, dao Shin!"

"Armor of Halo, dao Chi!"

"Armor of Strata, dao Mei!"

Once transformed they drew their weapons, but Anubis – who was now upright – only laughed, which told the ronin that this battle was far from over.

"I don't know what little tricks you're pulling, but they end tonight," Anubis said. He threw his chain and the ronin rushed at him.

Unlike their previous fight, the ronin attacked Anubis at once and as a team. With the group working together the warlord had a difficult time fighting back and Anubis quickly found himself attacking from a defensive position.

He growled in frustration as he tried to simultaneously deflect an arrow from Rowen and block a blow from Sage. For the moment he was holding his own, but it was only a matter of time before the ronin overwhelmed him.

Anubis knew this and he quickly regrouped. Putting a considerable distance between himself and the attacking ronin, he leapt into the air and used his own momentum as well as his armor's magic to land on the roof of a nearby building. Without thinking, Ryo followed him.

Selena was impressed with the warlord's cleverness; in a shockingly short amount of time he'd managed to turn the battle so that he now had the upper hand. Unfortunately Ryo was walking blindly into a trap.

"Hurry!" She shouted to the other ronin. "Ryo needs help!"

A tremendous flash of lightning drew their attention heavenward. Silhouetted against the crackling sky, two figures battled ferociously. A wave of red light generated from Anubis told the gathered crowd that the warlord was executing his chain attack against Ryo.

They watched, horrified as Ryo's figure was engulfed in the demon's assault. Then Ryo attacked.

Like with the dark samurai earlier, a brilliant burst of white light shot from Ryo's extended blades. The group in the street had to shield their eyes from the burning intensity of its flare. The light receded briefly, and then it exploded.

The transformed ronin managed to stay upright, but Selena, Mia, and Yuli were knocked off their feet as the attack's shockwave slammed into them. Selena hit the ground and had the wind knocked out of her as Yuli fell into her.

Not caring that his head was in Selena's gut, Yuli shouted, "Look!"

Selena stopped trying to slide out from under the boy and followed the direction of his pointed finger. She just barely caught sight of the last of the ronin as they disappeared over the top of the roof where Anubis had retreated to earlier. She smiled; it looked like the warlord no longer had the advantage.

Next to her, Mia gasped. "What is that?" she asked and Selena and Yuli noticed a dark funnel spinning in the distance over the city. Sudden fear struck Selena when she caught sight of the dark object.

"You guys have tornadoes?"

"It's a tornado?" Yuli asked and pressed himself against Selena's waist. She grimaced as she felt the boy's fingernails dig into her back. He trembled and she rubbed his back, trying to soothe him.

"Don't worry," she said to the scared boy, thinking to herself how odd it was that he was afraid of twirling wind but not a powerful demonic warlord from an evil dimension. "Tornadoes don't last long, and besides, it might not even come near us."

Selena soon realized how mistaken she was. Instead of twisting and turning randomly like normal tornadoes did, this one appeared to be controlled by some invisible force as it approached the ronin in an eerily straight line.

"Go! Go go go go go!"

Mia, Yuli, Selena, and White Blaze scrambled off the street and ran for shelter under a deserted parking deck. Mia wanted to stop to see what happened to the ronin, but Selena grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a reinforced concrete pillar.

"But the ronin –"

"Safety first, then spy!" admonished Selena.

The quartet huddled behind a thick wall and covered their ears at the high-pitched whine of the swirling winds. Mia yelled something to Selena, but she couldn't hear the woman over the noise and she signed to Mia that she didn't understand. Mia indicated that she wanted to look out a nearby window, which Selena thought was an extremely stupid idea, but she understood the woman's worry and so nodded her head.

Leaving Yuli with White Blaze, they crawled to the nearest window and held on to each other for support. When they looked out the window they could barely see anything, but a quick scan of the street showed that the ronin weren't there. Mia was the first to look up, and her sudden intake of breath alerted Selena that something wasn't right.

Her head snapped up and her blood ran cold. The ronin were being tossed around inside the unnatural tornado like dolls. They glowed brightly until they were no more than colored orbs and seconds later were spit from the tornado at incredible speeds.

The ronin streaked across the blackened sky, their colored trails the only clue to their destination.

Watching as the five ronin were ruthlessly scattered across Japan, Selena could only scream helplessly, her strangled cries swallowed by the wicked wind.

XX

The next morning Selena, Mia, and Yuli woke early. They spent the night at the car deck, and it had proven to be excellent protection against the elements.

Yuli sat up, the hair on one side of his head slanted from sleep, and looked around blearily.

"Hey, where's White blaze?"

Selena paused in her folding of the blanket that they'd shared last night. "I'm not sure. He headed out early this morning."

"Maybe he's scouting," Mia offered.

"Yeah, maybe."

Yuli didn't look very convinced, and Selena smiled. In the short time that they'd known each other, Yuli had bonded with the large animal; last night he'd even slept curled up next to the tiger.

"Don't worry, Yuli. I'm sure that White Blaze will be back soon."

"Yes," Mia said and handed Yuli an apple from the grocery store they'd raided last night. "Besides, we still need to find Ryo and the other ronin, and White Blaze will want to help us."

Talking around a mouthful of apple, Yuli asked, "Do you think that the ronin are okay, Mia?"

The woman sighed. "I hope so. We're doomed without them."

_Close but not quite_, Selena thought, her mind remembering the item hidden in her pocket. She finished packing and stood up, slinging her backpack over her shoulders.

"Okay," she said, "so we go find the ronin. Any idea of where to start?" Selena looked at Mia. "Do you think your grandfather could help us?"

The woman nodded fervently. "Oh, yes. But he's a long way from here and my car is dead. How are we going to get there?"

"Where is he, exactly?"

"Shinjou University."

Selena whistled low. That _was_ quite a distance from where they were in downtown Tokyo; it was several hours' drive, and it'd take even longer on foot. She was debating alternatives when something shiny caught her eye.

She barely managed to keep from swearing in front of Yuli. "What the he~ck is that?"

Roughly thirty feet away a red katana stood, jutting out of the ground. Mia and Yuli turned to see what she was staring at, and Mia gasped.

"Is that - ?"

"Ryo's sword!" Yuli yelled and ran to the sword. Mia and Selena followed. One glance at the sword was all it took; they knew it was Ryo's – after all, how many swords bearing Wildfire's symbol could possibly be out there?

"How did it get here?" Selena asked and Mia shook her head.

"Does it matter? This means that the ronin are still alive!"

"Thank goodness!" Selena said and she turned to Mia. "Well I guess we'd better start walking. The longer it takes, the stronger the dynasty will get."

Mia nodded and grabbed the sword's hilt. A loud yip came from behind them and they turned to see White Blaze. Their faces lit up at the sight of the giant cat, especially Yuli's.

"White Blaze, you came back!" the boy cried. The tiger barked his acknowledgment to the boy and abruptly turned around, facing the way out of the city. He looked back at the three humans, pointedly looked at the sword in Mia's hands and then turned again and growled, his body language urgent.

"What is it, White Blaze?" Yuli asked.

Mia's eyes were wide as she looked from the sword to the tiger. "Do you know where Ryo is?"

White Blaze growled in response and shuffled back and forth; he was obviously very eager to leave the city.

Selena muttered, "Let's hope so," and climbed on his back. The other two followed suit, White Blaze took off, and they soon left the city center behind.

For a while they were fine. Everything was a blur of dark buildings, deserted streets, and overturned cars as White Blaze flew through the city. It wasn't until they approached the edge of the city that things began to go wrong.

Something struck Selena's backpack. She reached behind her and was dumbfounded to see an arrow sticking out of her bag.

_Where the hell did this come from?_

Selena looked behind her and instantly wished that she hadn't. She wasn't much of one for counting, but it looked like hundreds of dynasty soldiers were following behind them and hot on their tail.

"Uh I don't want to alarm anyone, but the dynasty is following us. Right now."

"What?" Mia's eyes widened in fear as she glanced behind. She quickly faced White Blaze and urged him onward. "Hurry, White Blaze!"

The tiger ran faster, but it wasn't enough. He was doing all that he could with three humans on his back, and still the dynasty gained on them. And, to top things off, they were shooting at them.

Selena ducked to avoid an arrow as it flew over her head and she grimaced. If there was only some way to distract the dynasty, then they could get away. An idea formed in her head; with some luck, it should work. Still dodging arrows and – _really?_ – spears, Selena tapped Mia on the back.

"Give me Ryo's sword," she ordered.

At first Mia didn't think she'd heard her right. "What?" she called.

Selena tried not to hurt the woman. She spoke urgently. "I'm going to distract these goons and give you guys a chance to escape."

"But what about you?"

"Don't worry about me; just get to Ryo! Now give me the sword!"

Reluctantly Mia handed Selena the sword. As soon as the weapon was firmly in her grip, Selena jumped off of White Blaze. Thinking that he'd lost a passenger, the tiger slowed down, but Selena saw this and yelled at him.

"Go! I'll catch up – just go!"

She saw Mia lean down and say something to White Blaze. He gave her one last appraising look before he turned and bounded off with Mia and Yuli still on his back.

Selena watched them go for a moment and then turned her attention to the oncoming horde. She breathed deeply, closed her eyes and relaxed her body and mind as she centered herself and allowed the sword to become an extension of her body. If there was one thing that Selena was good at, it was swordplay. Her eyes opened and her fierce gaze never faltered, not even when Anubis appeared at the front of the dark army in a chariot pulled by phantom horses.

When the warlord saw Selena, he laughed.

"What is this? A human girl, playing warrior? Do you really think that you can beat Anubis, Warlord of Cruelty?"

As an answer, Selena deftly slid into a defensive position and held the katana in front of her body, pointing the sword so that it was waist-level with her attacker.

Recognizing the position, Anubis's mockery turned into anger.

"You dare defy me?"

Selena raised the sword slightly, made eye contact with the warlord and replied, "Obviously."

Her cheeky response enraged Anubis. The warlord pulled his horses to a halt, and ordering the following soldiers to wait, stepped from the chariot and into her full view. He held his weapon almost carelessly, but Selena was not to be fooled; his grip on the sickle was too controlled, the angle with which he twirled the chain too precise.

Selena grit her teeth; no wonder he was such a formidable opponent.

This, she decided, was not going to be fun.

The warlord smirked. "Fine," he said. "Then I shall deal with you first!"

He ran toward her and launched the blunt end of his weapon. Blocking it wasn't a problem, but the chain's momentum was too great and it looped around the blade several times. Anubis didn't waste any time. Almost as soon as his weapon was secure on the sword, he pulled roughly.

Selena, who refused to let go of the sword, was pulled toward the warlord. Meanwhile Anubis hadn't faltered in his approach, and Selena's eyes widened as she realized his true intent; he was going to shatter Ryo's sword!

Without thinking she twisted the blade so that the edge was facing her body and a moment later they collided and the warlord's sickle slammed onto the sword.

His strength was incredible, and Selena had a difficult time remaining upright, much less fending off his attack. Plus her earlier injuries were practically screaming at her to stop.

Ignoring her body's protests, she managed to regain her footing and pushed against the warlord towering over her. Although he was undoubtedly the more capable of the two, Selena's sheer determination made the contest last longer than it should have; Anubis was gaining ground, but he had to fight for every inch.

Anubis, who had expected her to submit to him completely, was beyond surprised that this human woman was not only fighting back, but was actually holding her own against him.

His eyes narrowed as he searched her face for any sign of weakness, but his voice betrayed his surprise. "What devilry is this? A human should not be able to wield a legendary weapon."

Grunting from the force of the warlord's attack, Selena's determined gaze met his as she replied, "Apparently I can."

Anubis was stunned by the ferocity in her eyes; only the ronin had looked at him that way. He snarled when he remembered his adversaries and was suddenly consumed with anger for the dispersed ronin and his inability to stand against this mortal woman.

_The power of Wildfire's sword must be protecting her_, he thought. _I will destroy these pathetic mortals for making a fool of me!_

Anubis growled and jumped away from Selena, dislodging his weapon from hers with an easy flick of the wrist. He smiled wanly at her, noting with some satisfaction the confusion that flickered across her face even as she instantly readied herself for another attack.

"I give you compliments for your courage, girl, but we'll see if you can withstand the full force of my power!"

Selena's eyes widened as she saw him prepare to execute his supreme attack. She knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that even the sword of Wildfire was no match for this power.

_Oh, hell._

"QUAKE WITH – "

Selena's hand went inside her pocket and gripped the object there tightly, prepared to use it, but she didn't have to. The same staff that saved her from the warlord earlier appeared again. It shot down from the sky and lodged into the earth between Selena and Anubis. A great light shot from the staff toward the warlord and his demon army.

Selena didn't have to be told what to do; she ran. From behind her the attack continued; she could see the reflection of the army's destruction on the buildings in front of her.

"Thank you, master," she murmured sincerely, and headed out of the city to find Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze.

The attack caught Anubis completely by surprise. He vaguely recognized the staff as the same one from before, and then it was covered by light and he saw no more of it.

The ground beneath him opened up and he barely reacted in time to save himself. He threw his kusarigama, which embedded in a concrete boulder on the other side of the chasm. He held on to his weapon's chain as his army fell around him, cursing the ronin as the screams of his dying army filled his ears.

When the annoying light faded Anubis pulled himself from the pit and looked around. Both the staff and the girl were gone.

"What power is this?" he murmured to himself, and thought of the girl who defied him.

His eyes narrowed in dangerous contemplation.

_Who was that woman? And why was she able to wield Wildfire's sword?_

Anubis shook himself of these thoughts; they would have to wait for another day. Right now he needed to find Wildfire before those annoying women did.

His eyes turned to a towering volcano in the distance, which was aligned perfectly with the direction that the tiger had been headed before his pursuit was so rudely interrupted. Anubis smiled wickedly.

_Come, come little ronin. Come to die!_

_

* * *

_**Notes:**

A _shakujo _is the staff carried by a Japanese Buddhist monk. The number of rings on the staff denotes the rank of the carrier. For example, four rings indicate a novice monk while a Bodhisattva (someone who wishes to achieve complete enlightenment or whose aim is to bring happiness to all sentient beings) carries a six-ringed staff. In the show, the Ancient carries a six-ringed staff.

When the ronin call for their armor, they say the name of the armor followed by "dao" and the name of the kanji that represents their virtue. "Dao" means "the way of," so when Ryo says, "dao Jin" it means "the way of Righteousness." By calling their armor, the ronin are following the path of their specific virtue. I used the Japanese phrasing because I think it's cool.

Jin means 'righteousness'

Gi means 'justice'

Shin means 'faith'

Chi means 'wisdom'

Mei means 'life' or 'destiny'

Selena faces Anubis in a kendo position called gaden-no-kamae. It means "lower-level posture," and is adopted when a student holds their sword at their opponent's waist. It is one of the five positions used in kenjutso (Japanese sword martial arts). In kendo the position is used to deflect blows or create opportunities to strike at an opponent.

A_ kusarigama _is the weapon that Anubis wields as the warlord of Cruelty. It has a sickle on one end that is attached by a chain to a metal ball at the other end. It can be used against an enemy in many ways, including immobilizing an enemy with the weight or chain and then attacking the enemy with the sickle (like Anubis did to Selena), bludgeoning an enemy with the weight, or cutting and retrieving with the sickle.


	4. Secret of Wildfire

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Three**_

Selena found Mia rummaging through a jeep, ecstatic and nearly weeping when the engine began to run. When she saw Selena, she ran and threw her arms around the other woman.

"Selena! Thank goodness you're alright!" Mia stepped back from the woman, her expression shifting to concern. "What happened? We heard an explosion, and well, we thought that …" she trailed off, her eyes downcast.

Selena waved off her concern and explained about the staff and the army's destruction. When she was finished, Mia's eyes were wide.

"And what about Anubis? Did he also fall into the pit?"

Selena bit her lip, worried. "I don't know; I didn't actually see him fall."

"He must have!" Yuli decided, who had been listening while Selena spoke. "How could he beat an earthquake?"

Selena wanted to tell him that the warlord's mystical armor was more powerful than any earthquake could ever hope to be, but she didn't. Let the boy have his hopes, she thought. She looked around at the brightly lit city and gestured to it.

"What's all this? We have electricity again?"

Mia followed her gaze. "Yes. It's strange; after the explosion everything just turned on."

_Ah_. It appeared that Selena had yet another thing to thank her master for. The old man was racking up quite the tally today.

Shaking herself of her thoughts, she turned to Mia. "So I take it the car works?"

Mia beamed. "It's my car; I had to leave it here when the dynasty took over the city."

"Excellent, then let's get going. We have to reach the ronin before the dynasty does." They all clambered into the jeep – including White Blaze – and sped out of the city.

With a motorized all-terrain vehicle at their disposal, it didn't take the quartet long to reach the volcano.

"Wow," Yuli exclaimed, craning his head to catch a glimpse of the top of the mountain. "It's huge!"

"Yes, it is. Are you sure that Ryo is in the volcano's crater?"

Mia nodded. "His armor's element is fire; it makes sense that he would be in the volcano."

Selena frowned and pointed to the volcano. "So this thing is still active?"

"Yes. The last eruption was in 1708, so technically it's considered to be dormant, but it still has the potential to erupt."

"I'd say that it's overdue for one." Selena smiled grimly. "So how do we get to the top?"

"There is a lift that will take us pretty far up the volcano, but we'll have to walk the rest of the way."

Selena put a hand on her forehead to shade her eyes from the sun as she gazed at the distant summit. "Great. Let's go."

XX

Several hours later, they made it to the top. "Thank God. Finally!" Selena huffed as the wide rim of the volcano's crater came into view.

It had been one hell of a trek. Quite frankly, Selena was surprised that Yuli had even made it. The strenuous climb combined with the thinning air took its toll on the adults, so she was impressed that the kid was still conscious.

"Okay," Mia breathed hard, coming to stand beside Selena – who noted that the woman had difficulty speaking even that single word. "We have to find Ryo."

"Right," Selena agreed and turned her head, looking for White Blaze. Presumably, since he had known where to find Ryo in the first place, he would know where the ronin was now. Selena saw that he was resting next to Yuli, and decided not to bother him.

_It's a crater; how far could Ryo possibly be?_

"Oh no!" Mia gasped and Selena turned her attention back to the gaping crater before them. Almost immediately she saw what concerned Mia.

"Anubis!"

About 300 feet to their left the warlord stood over the crater. Thankfully he hadn't noticed them since he appeared to be focused on the crater below.

"Hey! How did he get out of that hole?" this came from Yuli, who with White Blaze had come up to see what the commotion was about.

"I don't know, Yuli," Mia said.

In the meantime Selena pulled a pair of binoculars from her bag and trained them on the warlord. Her gaze narrowed; they were too far away for her to be certain, but was he … talking? His lips were moving, that much she knew. So he was either muttering an incantation, talking to himself, or …

"He's found Ryo."

The others looked up at her sudden declaration. "What?"

Selena pointed to Anubis with her binoculars. "He hasn't moved from that spot, his eyes are focused on something below him, and he's speaking." She gestured to the crater below Anubis. "That means that Ryo is down there."

She handed the binoculars to Mia, whose facial expression quickly confirmed Selena's observation. "Here," she said, handing her backpack to Mia. "You, Yuli and White Blaze find a way to get to Ryo; I'll handle Anubis."

Mia and Yuli blanched at this. "And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"With Ryo's sword, of course." Selena held out her hand expectantly.

"Another ruse? The last time you tried that an entire city block was destroyed!"

Selena rolled her eyes. "For the last time, I did not do that! Besides, it worked – we're here, aren't we?" She turned and pointed to Anubis. "And there is no way we are going to help Ryo if he's standing where we need to be!"

White Blaze growled and Mia placed Ryo's sword in Selena's outstretched hand. As she adjusted the backpack around her shoulders she warned Selena, "Be careful."

Selena nodded. "I will." Seeing Mia and Yuli's doubtful looks, she continued, "Hey, the sword protected me last time; there's no reason it won't again." Suddenly she grinned. "And besides, what could go wrong?"

XX

A lot of things could go wrong, Selena decided. Like stepping on a loose rock and therefore ruining any chance of surprise. Anubis whipped around at the sound of the clattering rock and Selena cursed quietly to herself. This did not bode well.

Centering herself, she calmly stepped out from her hiding place and was pleased to note the look of shock that crossed the demon's eyes before it was clouded by mockery. She didn't give him a chance to speak and lazily waved Ryo's sword in his direction. Selena smiled.

"Remember me?"

To deny their acquaintance would have been an egregious untruth. This was the girl that had challenged him and faced him in open combat; this was the girl that had miraculously held her own against the most powerful of the four warlords; and had escaped by some mysterious aid that caused the earth to devour his demon army. Now that he thought about it, she had been a source of trouble for some time.

Anubis took the time to face her fully and when he spoke, his voice was full of ridicule.

"Ah, the girl with the boundless courage." Anubis took his kusarigama from its place at his side and spun the sickle lazily in obvious imitation of her earlier action. The warlord's slow movements expressed his amusement with and barely suppressed scorn towards Selena. His next words were deliberately cruel, and struck at Selena's pride. "You're not going to try to run away from me this time, are you?"

Selena returned his words with a sarcastic smile and raised the sword so that it pointed at him. "Not on your life." Her voice was thick with passion and a steely determination.

The warlord chuckled. "It is not my life you should be concerned with, girl."

He did not fail to notice how easily she slipped into an advanced kendo defensive stance, her body and position of her borrowed sword nearly perfect. His eyes narrowed. This woman had not merely had training in combat; she was an expert at it.

Curious, he asked, "Who are you?"

Selena was startled by the question, but saw no harm in it. Besides, she was getting really tired of hearing him call her 'girl.'

She proudly shot back, "My name is Selena Sires. I'm an American citizen, scholar, and a permanent thorn in your side!"

Internally Anubis laughed. _Scholar? I sincerely doubt that._

Outwardly he nodded to her. "Selena, is it? Good," he said. "I like to know the names of my opponents before I defeat them."

"So do I, _Anubis_."

The warlord actually laughed, an action and sound that Selena hadn't thought was possible of him. Her surprise quickly passed and she remembered where she was, and her eyes narrowed as the thought _That bastard is actually laughing at me!_ went through her mind.

Anubis smiled at her. "Fearless to the end."

He struck faster than she thought was possible. The sickle went high, the metal ball low. Fully expecting a repeat of his earlier attack (another mistake), Selena whipped the sword up in time to stop the sickle's blade from cutting her in half, but her legs weren't so lucky.

She tried to jump out of the way, but she couldn't really manage it with Anubis bearing down on her. The ball swiped her left ankle, which was lucky because a direct hit would have shattered the bone.

Selena cried out in pain and stumbled backward. Her earlier move with the giant army-swallowing hole must have really pissed the warlord off, because he didn't give Selena any time to recover before he attacked again. She barely dodged a swipe that would have taken her head off.

As she struggled to avoid the attack and ignore her throbbing ankle, Selena grudgingly acknowledged Anubis' brilliance and cursed her own stupidity. She had foolishly assumed that his initial attack would be identical to that of their first encounter. Anubis' surprising two-strike move had forced her to block the immediate threat of the sickle, and then he'd used her own body position against her and so she'd been unable to avoid the strike to her leg.

Yes, Selena acknowledged as she straightened and faced Anubis again, he was good.

_But I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve._

The razor-sharp blade of the sickle sped towards her once again, and this time Selena was prepared. She stepped forward, ignored the shooting pain in her foot and thrust Ryo's sword into the path of the blade and caught the following chain. The chain wrapped around the sword, which caused the sickle to spin around the sword shaft, its tip interlocking with the trapped chain. Quickly, Selena twisted around to her right and pulled hard. Amazingly, the warlord fell forward. It was slight; Selena didn't have the strength by far to topple the demon, but the few unsteady steps he took were impressive enough.

Then just as quickly, Selena untangled her and Anubis' weapons and deliberately stepped away from the warlord, eyeing him as she did so.

This was not going to be easy. She had to draw him away from the edge of the crater without making it look like that was what she was trying to do. Anubis was clever; if she even gave one hint of what she was up to he would know and then Ryo, Mia, and Yuli would be in danger.

Her move had been mildly successful, but it wasn't enough. She angled herself so that she had a relatively unobstructed view of the crater rim. Selena did a quick scan but didn't see Mia, Yuli, or White Blaze anywhere. She hoped that meant they were close to Ryo, wherever he was.

Taking her eyes off of Anubis was her third mistake.

Without warning hard metal slammed into her and before she could do anything Ryo's sword was ripped from her grip. Selena watched in undisguised horror as the legendary weapon sailed in the air, caught in the hold of a malicious chain and into Anubis' hands.

The warlord laughed. "You fought well, Selena, but it was for nothing." He turned the sword in his hand, and Selena felt her gut knot in fear and disgust. She noticed that the demon couldn't resist waving the sword at her like she had done earlier. He laughed again and smiled triumphantly at Selena.

"You failed."

Selena said nothing; inside she felt numb.

How had this happened? She had come to find and rescue Ryo by keeping the warlord busy, but her plan had gone wrong almost from the moment she thought of it. She ruined her surprise attack, underestimated her enemy, got herself injured, practically handed a legendary weapon over to the dynasty, and now faced an angry warlord alone and unarmed.

This was so not her week.

"What?" Anubis mocked. "No final words from the fearless warrior?"

Selena spit back a particularly pithy reply that was dripping with malice and more than a few obscenities. Might as well go out with a good one.

Confident and cocky as ever, Anubis only smiled at the venom in her words.

"There's my spitfire, although I can't say that I'll miss you; you're quite the nuisance. QUAKE WITH – "

Selena faced Anubis and with one eyebrow raised flicked an obscene gesture at him. If she was nothing else, she was a lady.

" – FEAR!"

Selena waited for the attack that she knew would end her life. Her thoughts were a jumble of memories: of her family, her master, and feelings of regret for not accomplishing her mission. And above all there was a desperate overwhelming desire to kick Anubis in the balls.

She prayed for forgiveness and prepared her soul to meet Buddha or God or whoever. The earth around her shook and groaned, and she felt herself being lifted upwards.

_This isn't so bad_, Selena thought. _I thought there'd be more pain._

As if in answer to her thought, she slammed into the ground and seconds later something heavy fell on top of her. Whereas moments before she had felt only glorious serenity, she was now face-down in volcanic ash with what felt like 300 pounds of irony on her back.

Instead of rejoicing at not being dead, Selena cursed and attempted to roll over.

"What the fu - ?"

The obscenity died in her throat as she was suddenly struck with déjà vu. On top of her, with rock falling and flames blazing behind him was an angel in red. A very pissed off angel in red Selena noted as icy blue eyes glared furiously down at her.

"Ryo!" Selena cried, relieved beyond expression. "Thank goo – "

He interrupted her viciously, his voice full of anger, urgency, and worry. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I – "

"Never mind. Where's my sword?"

Selena pointed meekly in Anubis' direction. Ryo turned, saw his sword at Anubis' side and was stunned speechless, for which Selena was extremely grateful. She didn't want to explain to Ryo exactly how Anubis got his sword.

For the moment the warlord didn't appear to notice their argument; he was staring at Ryo in complete surprise. He looked from the ronin to Selena, amazement, irritation, and respect growing in his eyes.

The demon stared at Selena, who picked herself up from the ground. She didn't bother to brush off her clothes and she grimaced as she shifted her weight from her left foot to her right. His eyes flickered to Ryo in briefly acknowledgment of the ronin and then turned his attention back to Selena. When she was fully upright, he called her name.

Selena looked at Anubis, wariness and loathing on her face. When he saw that her attention was on him, the warlord bent in a mocking bow.

"My compliments, Selena. You are more clever than I thought."

Ryo turned to her. "What's he talking about?"

The warlord answered for her. "I was distracted from you once, Ronin. I assure you it won't happen again." Now his attention was trained on Ryo and the meaning behind his gaze was unmistakable.

At least Ryo wasn't completely defenseless; he was going to need his remaining sword if he hoped to survive this encounter.

Ryo frowned, but he didn't hesitate. He charged Anubis, a move that startled the warlord. He stepped right to avoid the oncoming ronin, which exposed the stolen sword at his left side. Ryo shifted his weight and lunged for his sword, but the warlord simply stepped back out of reach and the ronin stumbled against the ground.

"What's the matter, Wildfire? Did you lose something?" As he spoke Anubis patted Ryo's sword at his side.

"I'm not afraid of you, demon!"

Anubis sneered. "You should be. Without your precious weapon you are powerless against me."

Wide-eyed and slightly panicked, Yuli asked Mia, "What does he mean by that?" The group, now joined by Selena, was away from the battle but close enough so they could see and hear it.

Mia looked just as frightened as Yuli did. "Oh no! Without both swords Ryo can't use his ultimate attack!"

"You mean that one that totally creamed that huge building in the city?"

Mia nodded. "If Ryo doesn't get that sword, there's no way he can win this fight."

Instead of being frightened like her two companions, Selena was angry.

_It's my fault that Anubis has the sword. I should never have let my guard down!_

Well, there was no use grumbling over what could have been; now was the time to rectify the situation.

_But how?_

While Selena desperately tried to come up with a plan, Ryo fought hard against Anubis. The warlord was relentless, attacking the ronin viciously with his kusarigama so that Ryo didn't have a chance to withdraw his solitary weapon. Ryo had no choice but to deflect the deadly swipes with his kote (sleeve armor), and he was lucky that the force of Anubis' attacks didn't break his arm.

Yelling, Anubis flung his sickle at Ryo, aiming at the ronin's head. Mia and Yuli's screams, and Selena's deafening, "MOVE!" alerted Ryo to the oncoming attack. He reacted quickly, sidestepped the blade and ran towards Anubis.

Anubis tried to use the heavy metal ball at the other end of his weapon, but he was too slow. With very little warning, Ryo slammed into him and before the warlord could do anything else, Wildfire punched him in the face.

From her vantage point Selena whooped with joy, a cry that quickly turned into a chorus as Mia and Yuli's voices joined hers.

Unfortunately, because of his face guard Ryo's punch did little more than put the warlord off-balance and damage his pride. Enraged, Anubis tried to put some distance between him and the ronin – the kusarigama was only really effective as a long-rang weapon – but Ryo didn't give him the chance. He kept coming at the warlord and never let Anubis retreat an inch.

Selena was impressed with Ryo's performance. He had managed to find Anubis' weakness without the use of any weapon save his own limbs! But it wouldn't last. Ryo couldn't keep up his assault forever and all Anubis had to do was wait for him to tire to attack – and then Ryo wouldn't have the strength to fight back. Despite his strength, Ryo needed his sword if he was to win this battle.

Screaming with rage, Anubis summoned his strength and pushed at Ryo, simultaneously kneeing the ronin in the stomach. Distracted and in pain, Ryo stumbled back. Anubis didn't hesitate to take advantage of the new distance between them. He pulled at the chain still in his hand and the forgotten sickle sped toward Ryo from behind.

For one horrifying moment, Selena thought that Ryo was about to – quite literally – lose his head. But she underestimated the young man.

By some miracle he anticipated or heard the twirling blade and rapidly unsheathed his sword, turned and in one swift movement deflected the deadly blade. It spun harmlessly away, and Anubis' chain fell limp on the ground.

In that brief moment when neither warrior moved, White Blaze acted. He leapt at Anubis from behind, caught his master's sword in his teeth and pulled it free from the warlord's sash at his waist. Another leap and he was in front of Ryo, who took the sword gratefully from the tiger.

Selena didn't believe that she'd seen the warlord more furious. His anger was nearly palpable; his eyes were narrowed at Ryo and White Blaze in total loathing, and his breathing was heavy as he tried to control his rage. His next move, which was really his only option at this point, was expected but still it came as a surprise to the onlookers.

Anubis raised the sickle above his head and spun it almost lazily. Then he slammed it into the ground so hard that the earth cracked before he'd even opened his mouth.

Almost as quickly Ryo combined his twin katana and leveled the dual blade at the warlord.

"QUAKE WITH FEAR!"

"FLARE UP NOW!"

Belatedly Selena realized that their position was probably not the best for viewing the oncoming attacks. The combined force of their attacks was enough to level a mountain, which incidentally was exactly what they were standing on.

_Find a really big rock_, was one of two thoughts that went through her mind. The other was: _don't die._

White Blaze was way ahead of her. He ran to Yuli, picked the kid up with his mouth and threw him over his shoulder and onto his back. He growled at Mia and Selena, and no sooner had they settled onto his back he was off and running fast and hard away from the battling warriors, which was a good thing because the volcano was busy collapsing behind them.

Dirt, rock, and ash filled the air and the three humans had difficulty breathing in the suddenly turgid air. Thankfully no large rocks fell near them, only small ones – courtesy of Ryo's attack, which had vaporized any outstanding boulders in the immediate vicinity. The earth shook at their combined attacks and as before a blinding light filled the party's vision. Selena thought that she heard screaming, but she couldn't be sure over the noise of crumbling earth and roaring flames. Through it all, White Blaze kept running.

Gradually the light and scorching heat faded and all that remained was a thick stream of ash in the air. White Blaze came to a stop somewhere on the side of the mountain and the three riders slid off his back and faced the way they'd just come.

For a while no one moved as they tried to adjust their breathing and eyesight to the ash-filled landscape. No sounds came except for those from the occasional falling rock or settling dirt; never the footsteps they hoped to hear.

Minutes passed. A few rocks fell toward the quartet, followed by some ash shifted by an as-of-yet invisible force. Then boots appeared and an armored body slowly emerged from the ashy mist.

Unconsciously the group tensed, thinking it might be Anubis, but there was no need.

"Hey, guys. Uh, sorry about … that." The ronin gestured sheepishly to the destroyed mountaintop behind him.

"Ryo!" Yuli cried, ran to the ronin and threw himself at the man, wrapping his arms about his waist. White Blaze yipped happily and circled his master, rubbing his head against Ryo as he did so. A deep rumbling came from the giant cat and Selena broke out into a huge smile when she recognized the sound: White Blaze was purring.

Ryo blushed and smiled. "It's good to see you guys, too."

"What happened?" Yuli asked. "Is Anubis …"

"Don't worry about it; I took care of him." Ryo gave Selena a sharp look. "But what were you doing, fighting a dynasty warlord with my sword?"

Selena blushed. So he _had_ seen her with the sword. Oops.

"I did what I had to do until you escaped the volcano."

Ryo gave her a look that was mixed with consternation, disbelief, and shock. "This isn't a game, Selena! He could have easily hurt you!"

"I know that!" she snapped back. "But what else could we do? He was just waiting for you to come out, and we couldn't very well walk over and just ask him to step aside while you revived! The world needs you!"

Ryo sighed. "I'm not fighting the dynasty to protect the world; I'm fighting to protect the people in the world. That includes you, and I can't protect you if you endanger yourself at my expense." His gaze was stern. "Never needlessly place yourself in harm again. Especially with the warlords."

Selena stared at Ryo as shock and dread filled her stomach. She couldn't promise that; she couldn't even bring herself to nod her head. He had no idea what he was asking of her. But she appreciated his line of reasoning. The ronin couldn't protect her – and Mia and Yuli, for that matter – and fight the dynasty at the same time. In other words, she needed a better strategy, one that wasn't quite so … obvious.

Her gaze was as solemn as his own, and she revealed nothing but an understanding of the reasons for his request. Whatever Ryo saw in her eyes satisfied him, and he accepted her mute acknowledgment. He turned to Mia and smiled.

"Okay, guys. Let's get the others."

XX

Talpa's floating fortress reeked of a darkness brought on by a thousand years' worth of anger, hatred, and wrath. It was suffocating and intoxicating. A person could easily lose himself here.

Many had, twisted into mockeries of life until they no longer knew anything but service to their master and loathing for an abandoned world. Within the fortress walls, it was easy to forget.

It was to this sinister place that Anubis retreated.

Inside the castle a large viewing screen to the outside world shone brightly, illuminating the otherwise dark room. The screen showed a young blond woman in dirty clothes. She was sitting alone somewhere outside wrapping an ankle and foot in white tape.

Anubis stared at the image in front of him, deep in thought.

_Selena Sires …_

Twice now she'd brazenly faced him in combat and twice she'd outsmarted him. Granted, both times some outside force had miraculously saved her, but the losses still smarted. On top of that, her distraction had cost him an army and the revival of one of the ronin warriors!

He sneered as she leaned over, ripped the tape apart with her teeth and grimaced from some invisible jolt of pain, but even that small acknowledgment of their encounter did little to soothe him.

Who was she? She'd said she was a scholar, but Anubis was no fool. No scholar fought like a master warrior and although her strategy left something to be desired, there was no denying her skill.

A mocking voice interrupted his thoughts.

"So Anubis, that's your mighty warrior, is it?"

Cale. Anubis barely restrained from rolling his eyes. He should have known that he would be the first to gloat over his recent setbacks with the ronin.

Without looking at the other warlord, Anubis responded defensively, "She's not a warrior, Cale."

He wasn't fool enough to let his subordinate in on his theory about the girl. Besides, the warlords had all watched the battle from this very spot; let them figure it out for themselves.

"No? Well she certainly seemed to be able to handle you well enough. Perhaps you're not as strong as you think."

Anubis whipped around and faced Cale. He was angry.

"She had help, and the legendary sword of Wildfire was protecting her. Without that sword she wouldn't stand a chance against me!"

"She shouldn't have stood a chance at all!" Cale laughed. "You're weak; why else would Master Talpa sequester you here while others fight your battles for you?"

"I don't see you volunteering to fight the ronin."

Cale scoffed. "That shows what you know. In fact, Master Talpa has given me a very important mission. Uh-uh," he said at the surprised and eager look on his superior's face. "I'm not going to tell you about it; it's confidential. Besides, you'd probably screw it up anyway."

Cale paused to look at the woman on the screen, who was now applying some kind of cream to bruises on her neck. He turned to Anubis.

"How do you expect to defeat the ronin when you can't even defeat a mortal girl?" Cale sneered. "Some leader you are," he bit out and walked away, leaving Anubis in the room alone.

Anubis glanced back at the screen and clenched his jaw in anger. That girl has humiliated him and caused him to lose favor in the eyes of his master. Now he was in a semi-exile, forbidden to leave the dynasty as punishment for his failure to destroy the ronin. It was humiliating and frustrating to be so openly scorned, a setback, yes but he could wait. The warlord found that he had been given an unexpected boon, and he was nothing if resilient. He would have patience and plan, and when the time was right he would have his revenge.

Anubis mimicked Selena's smile with a cruel grin of his own. Oh yes, he could wait.

* * *

**Notes**

Totally true – Mount Fuji's last eruption was in 1708. Here's an additional interesting factoid: the mountain became sacred after a monk was supposedly the first to climb it in 663, and samurai used the base of the mountain as a training area. Creepy and depressing factoid: the forest at the base of the mountain (the Aokigahara Forest) is known as one of the creepiest in the world due to the hundreds of people that have committed (and continue to commit) suicide by hanging in the forest.


	5. The Search for Halo

A thousand thanks to my wonderful reviewers: LdySubaru, Harry2, Ginga no Yousei, and Luma! You guys motivate me to keep writing!

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Four**_

On the drive to Shinjou University the group discussed the recent battle. Selena, who had naively hoped to avoid the conversation, quickly found herself on the defensive.

"So you just decided to take my sword and use it as your only defense against a dynasty warlord? What made you think of that?"

Selena hadn't bothered to tell Ryo about her initial encounter with Anubis, and the others left it out of their narrative, for which she was grateful. The young man was upset enough as it was; there was no need to add fuel to the fire, so to speak.

Selena sidestepped the question. "I know how to handle a sword."

"That's another thing. I saw you fighting with Anubis, and you weren't bad. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I studied kendo for years back home." She tried to lighten the mood. "Who would've thought that it'd come in handy here?"

Her feeble attempt didn't work. Ryo gave her a stern look.

"Selena, this isn't funny. You are lucky that you weren't hurt more than you were. Anubis is very powerful. If he'd taken you seriously you could very well be dead."

An image of Anubis' deadly attack hurtling toward her flashed through her mind. More somber now, Selena spoke quietly. "I know." She blinked and looked at Ryo, who was in the passenger seat. "Thank you for saving me. If you hadn't been there …" she trailed off and the occupants in the car fell silent as they heard her unspoken words.

… _I'd be dead._

Ryo cleared his throat nervously. He looked uncomfortable. "You're welcome. Just don't do that again."

"I'll try not to." Selena suddenly grinned wryly. "You must be getting tired of saving me. What has it been, three times now?"

Ryo returned her smile. "Nah, don't worry about it; it's good practice."

With the mood considerably lightened, Mia maneuvered the topic back to the battle.

"Ryo, when you fought Anubis at the volcano, your powers had increased. Do you know why?"

Ryo thought about it for a moment. "Not really. After that last battle I woke up in the volcano and I just felt stronger somehow."

Mia nodded. "I think it is because of your armor."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your armor reacts to fire. You woke up in a volcano and it must have been the heat of the volcano that made your armor powerful." Mia shook her head. "I will have to ask my grandfather. He knows everything about the armors; I'm sure that he'll know how the other armors work, too."

Intrigued, Selena asked, "What does your grandfather do, Mia?"

"He's a professor of Ancient Mythology at Shinjou University."

"How does he know about the armors?"

"He's studied them since I was a little girl. He used to tell me a poem when I was young that had something to do with the armors; I don't remember it anymore." She smiled at Selena in the review mirror. "As a ronin scholar, I bet you have tons of questions to ask him."

"You have no idea."

They passed a road sign and Mia hit the accelerator. "We'll be at Shinjou in a few hours. Try to rest until then."

XX

The landscape around Shinjou University looked like something from out of a horror film. Clouds covered the sun, casting a dark shadow over the area. No animals or birds could be seen or heard, and the silence was unnerving. All the trees were nearly bare with very few leaves and flowers on their branches. The scant foliage that was present hung lifeless and unmoving in a stagnant wind. It was all very gloomy, and very wrong.

"This place is creepy," Yuli said, getting out of the car and looking around. Selena agreed with him. This was what vampires and werewolves would call prime real estate. But a professor? She'd heard of mad scientists and their penchant for ominous surroundings, but they belonged to the same cinematic fantasy as werewolves, not a university in present-day Japan.

"So," Ryo said. "This is beautiful Shinjou-U?"

Mia articulated Selena's thoughts exactly.

"Something is not right."

They followed Mia into the university and through several hallways until they entered a room at the end of a hall. Inside a man sat in complete darkness facing a computer screen. Surrounding him on either side of the room were large cases filled with ancient samurai armors that looked like giant amorphous shadows in the murky room. Once again Selena felt like she was starring in an unnamed horror film; this entire place made her feel uneasy.

Mia, however, didn't hesitate. She turned on the lights without a second thought and approached the man at the far end of the room.

"Grandfather, you shouldn't be working in the dark like that; it's not good for your eyes. I brought Ryo, the ronin warrior we saw on television."

Mia stopped talking, obviously expecting her grandfather to say something. When he didn't, she frowned but continued.

"Talpa scattered the ronin and we need your help to find them."

Finally Dr. Koji turned around. He ignored Mia and didn't even glance at Ryo. Instead, his gaze settled on Selena, Yuli, and White Blaze.

"Who are they?" he asked gruffly.

Mia introduced them. "White Blaze belongs to Ryo; Selena is a student at the University of Tokyo – she's familiar with the ronin armors, too; and Yuli was separated from his parents when Talpa appeared in the city."

When she mentioned Selena's background, the old man's eyes snapped to Selena and never wavered throughout the rest of his granddaughter's introductions.

"You know of the ronin armors?" he asked Selena. Everyone in the room could hear the growl in his voice.

"I've researched them," Selena responded vaguely. She wasn't sure if she should trust this man; something about him appeared to be … off.

He stared at her a moment longer before he focused on Ryo. Dr. Koji frowned at the young man.

"The age of man is over. Not even the ronin warriors are a match for Talpa's evil dynasty." He turned back to his computer screen. "Finding them all now would be a waste of time."

Selena was stunned. This was the man that Mia had spoken so highly of?

Mia was angry. "What are you talking about?" When her grandfather didn't acknowledge her, Mia huffed and turned on the laptop on a desk nearby. "Fine. If you won't help us, then I'll find the ronin warriors myself."

Four things happened then. White Blaze growled and made ready to pounce on Dr. Koji, Ryo yelled and tried to stop the tiger from mauling the old man, the case next to Selena and Yuli exploded, and the three samurai armor inside tried to attack them.

Yuli screamed, Selena yelled, and Ryo jumped into action. As his foot connected with one of the samurai's heads, he yelled, "Mia! The dynasty is here!"

"You think?" Selena shouted over the noise of falling glass and grinding metal.

One of the samurai swung its sword at Ryo (because of _course_ the possessed displays would be armed), but the ronin stopped it with his kote. He shoved the samurai back and kneed the armor hard in the stomach. White Blaze leapt at another that was sneaking up on Ryo from behind, and tiger and samurai tumbled to the ground.

Selena edged toward the destroyed case and pulled loose a heavy metal pipe used for supporting the previously inanimate armors. She caught Yuli's attention and the boy nodded in understanding.

"Hey, Ugly!" he yelled to the one unengaged samurai. It turned toward the boy and lunged at him. Yuli ducked and Selena swung. Hard. The pipe crashed through the samurai's torso, effectively tearing him in two. It landed on the floor and didn't move.

"One down!" Selena called and high-fived Yuli. "Great job, Yuli!" The boy beamed. A loud cry from Ryo turned their attention that way. The ronin power kicked a samurai in the chest and it slammed into a wall. Ryo aimed a quick roundhouse kick at its head that knocked off its kabuto. The samurai slumped over as the dark energy that powered it left the armor.

A deep, angry growl came from the other side of the room and Selena looked up in time to see White Blaze snap the remaining samurai's neck with his jaw.

_Okay, that was gross._

Ryo walked up next to White Blaze and rubbed him behind his ears. "Good boy, White Blaze."

Then Mia screamed. Everyone was startled by what they saw. Mia was being strangled by her grandfather! She was dangling a few inches above the ground with his hands wrapped tight around her neck. It was the most fucked up thing Selena had seen that day, and that was saying something.

"Mia, no!" Ryo yelled and threw himself at Dr. Koji. The old man released his hold on Mia and the young woman stumbled back, coughing as her lungs tried to fill with air.

Dr. Koji grabbed a katana from one of the fallen samurai armors and attacked Ryo.

"What the?" Ryo gasped and dodged the professor's swipes.

"Die, boy!" Dr. Koji yelled and thrust at Ryo. "Your time has come to an end!"

Ryo sidestepped the attack and the professor fell past him. As he did so, Ryo caught sight of the man's empty eyes and gasped with realization.

"He's being possessed by a dynasty spirit!"

Apparently being possessed gave the old man extra strength, because he lunged at Ryo again. Trying to stop him, Ryo punched the professor in the face. Mia screamed.

"Don't hurt him!"

Ryo was torn between fighting the dynasty spirit within the man and adhering to Mia's desperate pleas. Yuli watched the fight with wide eyes. He hid behind White Blaze, absolutely terrified at the sight of an old man mindlessly attacking his friends with a sword.

There was a lot of screaming going on, coming from most of the room's occupants. The situation was rapidly getting out of hand, and when Ryo yelled that Dr. Koji was possessed, Selena acted quickly.

She ran from the room and didn't stop for Yuli's cry of "Hey! Where are you going?" or her throbbing ankle. She hurried down the hall, searching for a supply closet. Thankfully it didn't take her long to find one.

_Please be unlocked_, she prayed and tried the door. It didn't budge. Selena quickly glanced up and down the hallway to make sure that she was alone, took a few steps back, and landed a vicious high turn kick to the door.

Two kicks later the door was in shambles. Selena stepped over the frayed remains of the door and surveyed the closet's contents. She exhaled in relief when she caught sight of an empty bucket. She grabbed it, jumped over the doorframe, and sped into a nearby bathroom.

Three minutes later she burst back into the room, saw that Ryo had a sword leveled at Dr. Koji's face, and threw the bucket's contents at the pair. Water spilled from the bucket and landed on Dr. Koji, soaking him.

"Harae-tamae-Kiyome-tamae-ro-kon-sho-jo!" Selena yelled. Everyone stared at her in shock – what the hell was she doing?

Selena ignored their stares, counted to nine, and swiftly cut the air between her and Dr. Koji with her hand, yelling "Yei!" as she did so.

The professor screamed. His body convulsed and everyone in the room gasped as a dark shadow pulled away from his body and disappeared. Once the spirit dissipated, Dr. Koji fell to the ground.

"Grandfather!" Mia yelled and ran to his side. She held his quickly weakening body in her arms. Tears ran down her face as she looked into her grandfather's eyes.

"Mia," her grandfather said, his voice faint. "I'm sorry. I know that I'm going to die."

"No," Mia cried desperately. "You're going to be alright."

The old man smiled at her fondly. "Listen to me. The ronin warriors' armors have … returned to the … places where they were made." Dr. Koji paused to gather his remaining strength. Mia helped him up and he typed a code into Mia's laptop. "Follow … the Legend… encrypted …"

The professor's breath left his body with his spirit. He was dead.

"No!" Mia cried and hugged her grandfather to her body. "No! Come back!"

It was a tragic scene, and Selena's heart wrenched for Mia. She knew what it was like to lose someone close to you. That type of loss formed a hole in your heart that could never be filled.

Yuli cried next to her. Selena felt bad for the little boy, who'd witnessed horrors and tragedy far beyond what he should have in his young life. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him close to her. Yuli threw his arms around her waist and cried silently into her jacket while she simply held him.

Despite the sadness of what had just happened, they needed to go. The dynasty was nearby and they were in no shape to face them. White Blaze felt the growing darkness and growled. Ryo looked at the tiger and appeared to understand what he was trying to tell him. He turned to the grieving woman.

"Mia, I'm sorry, but we have to go. The dynasty – "

"I don't care about the dynasty!" The raw anger in her voice surprised all of them. "My grandfather just died!"

Untangling herself from Yuli, Selena walked forward and knelt by Mia's side. She put her arms around the other woman, who clung to her, her body shaking with sobs. When her cried subsided somewhat, Selena pulled away. "We will bury him. But we must leave. We cannot allow the dynasty to find the other ronin."

Through her tears, Mia nodded. Selena looked up at Ryo. "Ryo - ?"

"I'll take care of it."

XX

Two hours later they were on the road again. Selena was driving; she'd volunteered so that Mia could have some time to herself. After the funeral they'd grabbed some essential items – extra clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, and food – and packed them in the back of the car. Yuli was curled up in a blanket, asleep, and White Blaze was lying down in the back. Mia had her laptop open and was steadfastly going through her grandfather's code. Every now and then she'd pause to wipe a tear from her face.

Ryo broke the quiet in the car. "Follow the Legend. What do you think that means?"

Selena glanced at him from the wheel. "It's the Legend of the Nine Armors."

"What? How do you know that?"

Selena rolled her eyes. "Because I've studied it; I know the Legend." She paused and then began: "Torch of Spirit sought through five, Drinking strength from immortal fire, Darkest prison sheds the light – "

Mia interrupted her. "Churning beneath a swirl of salt, Burning within a throne of rock – "

"Floating amongst the eyes of ages!" the two women finished together.

Mia was wide-eyed. "That's it! That's the poem that my grandfather used to tell me; it's the key!"

Ryo was confused. "What key?" But Mia didn't answer him; she was typing rapidly on her laptop. Her computer beeped and Mia smiled – the first real smile since her grandfather's death.

"Grandfather said 'Follow the Legend encrypted.' The Legend is the key to finding the other ronin warriors!"

"So do you know where Sage is?"

Mia grinned. "I sure do."

Selena smiled back. "Excellent. Just tell me where to go."

XX

Standing on a building that overlooked Shinjou University, Sekhmet laughed. He watched the car with the ronin warrior and his companions speed away. He smiled.

"That's right, find your comrades. Then I'll slaughter you all!"

Unknown to Ryo and the others, the warlord's deep, rumbling laughter followed them out of the university and onto the open road.

XX

"So tell me again how you know where Sage is?" Ryo looked from Selena to Mia, expecting an answer from either of them. The two women made eye contact in the car's rear view mirror and reached a silent decision. Selena spoke first.

"The third line of the Legend reads, 'Darkest prison sheds the light.' Because Halo's element is light, the line is about Sage."

"Yes," said Mia. "And it tells us where he is located: the Akiyoshido cave near the pinnacles."

"The pinnacles?" Ryo was surprised. "What would he be doing there?"

"It's where Talpa sent him. Just like you woke in a volcano – "

"Sage is in the cave; it's one of the darkest places on Earth. He's probably in a deep sleep, just like you were."

Ryo looked from Mia to Selena. "Okay. You guys need to stop doing that; it's kind of freaky."

Mia laughed and Selena shrugged. "Hey," she said, "That's what happens when you put two nerds together."

Ryo shook his head. "Just don't do it too often. I got kind of dizzy going back and forth between you guys."

Mia giggled. "Okay. We'll watch ourselves."

Ryo settled back into his seat. "So we're going to the Akiyoshido cave, huh?" He looked at Selena. "Do you know how to get there?"

"No. I haven't been in Japan long enough to become familiar with all the sites. But don't worry; Mia's going to give me directions. So rest up."

"Why? Are you expecting a fight?" He was joking, but Selena was completely serious.

"Actually, yes. Anubis somehow managed to find you – and he was, as far as we knew, in a giant crater in the ground. So the odds are that the dynasty will not only be at the cave, but will probably be waiting for us."

Ryo gave her an odd look. "You're not exactly an optimist, are you?"

"I like to be prepared for all possibilities." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "And so should you. The dynasty will use every advantage they can. Don't give it to them."

XX

By the time they got to the cave it was nearly dusk and a storm was moving in. Dark clouds gathered ominously overhead and a cold wind blew. Despite the warmth of her jacket, Selena shivered.

Yuli peered into the cave. "It's dark in there."

"Yeah, it sure is," Ryo agreed. "Does anyone have a light?"

As one the group turned to look at Selena. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a flare gun.

"I have this," she offered.

"You don't have a flashlight?" Ryo's voice was incredulous and a little annoyed.

Selena put her hands on her hips and shot back, "My bag is not a grocery store! I packed what I thought would be essential. I have a flare; it creates light. Use it or don't."

"If I use it inside it might cause the cave to collapse."

"Just shoot it out here; it's dark enough. The light from the flare should illuminate the entrance."

Yuli frowned. "How is that going to help us see when we're inside the cave?"

Ryo squashed that thought before it had a chance to take hold. "You guys aren't coming."

There was a flurry of protest at Ryo's announcement. He folded his arms over his chest and shook his head. "I'm sorry but it's just too dangerous. Besides, Selena is injured and I don't want her left alone."

"I'm fine!"

Ryo leveled his gaze at her. "You're limping. I'm not going to let you go into a dark cave with uneven ground when you can barely walk on grass."

Selena glared back at him. "It's not that bad," she tried but he wouldn't budge.

"No. And it's still too risky for the rest of you. White Blaze will stay and protect you."

"Wait!" Selena started. "So you're just going in the cave by yourself? What if the dynasty shows up? What if you need help?"

"I'm a ronin; I can handle it." Selena's face darkened at this. "Besides," Ryo continued, ignoring her, "the last two times the dynasty showed up, they used you guys as bait. I don't want that to happen again."

Deep laughter resonated behind them, interrupting the group's argument. Selena didn't recognize the voice and knew that (thankfully) they weren't dealing with Anubis. They turned around and White Blaze growled. From the surrounding forest a shadow emerged. When it stepped into the sun's dying light Selena recognized the figure as Sekhmet, Warlord of Venom.

Sudden clarity rang in her mind. _So he's the one who destroyed Shinjou University and attacked Dr. Koji! _She felt like an idiot for not realizing that before.

The green and red armored warlord laughed at the stricken group.

"Thank you for leading me here. Now if you'll kindly move out of my way, I have a ronin warrior to destroy."

"I don't think so, Sekhmet!" Ryo yelled. "You're going down!"

He moved into a defensive position and unconsciously Selena did the same. Sekhmet saw this and laughed.

"What are you doing, girl? No human of any age is a match for a dark warlord of the dynasty!"

Ryo turned to look at her. When he saw that she was in an attack position, he demanded, "Selena, what are you doing?"

She looked down at herself and dropped the position. "Sorry," she said, blushing. "Habit."

Before Ryo could ask just what the hell that meant, Sekhmet attacked. He pulled out a sword and leapt at Ryo, yelling, "SNAKE FANG STRIKE!"

Angry red gas leaked off of the warlord's sword and Ryo barely jumped in time to avoid being hit. Instead of dissipating as they expected it to, the red gas continued to gather. Sekhmet pointed his sword at Ryo and incredibly the gas shot out of the weapon and hurtled toward the ronin like a predator striking its prey. It wasn't hard to see where the attack got its name.

Again Ryo jumped away from the line of attack. The gas struck a boulder beyond where Ryo had been standing and Selena watched in morbid fascination as the red gas consumed the dense rock. When it cleared, the boulder was gone.

Sekhmet didn't give Ryo a chance to relax. He attacked the ronin ferociously, swiping at him with his sword. The warlord was obviously an excellent swordsman; his movements were lightning fast and it took all of Ryo's concentration to avoid the deadly blade.

Selena was exasperated. "What the hell is he thinking, going after Sekhmet like that?"

"Well," Mia began, "he has only fought Anubis."

"That's not an excuse," Selena snapped. "If he fights every enemy the same way, he's going to lose."

Right now it certainly looked that way. Ryo was still dodging Sekhmet's sword and there was no way he could keep this up forever. Eventually he was going to make a mistake. Apparently the present state of the battle worried Yuli because he cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Come on, Ryo! Get out of there!"

Either the ronin heard the boy's cries or he realized the futility of his present strategy because Ryo suddenly leapt away and out of reach of the warlord's attack. He seemed to understand that quick mobility was the key with this demon. Ryo jumped behind him, did a quick succession of back flips that brought him close to the warlord, then dropped to his knees and in one swift movement knocked the warlord's legs out from underneath him. Sekhmet fell, but Ryo didn't wait for him to recover. He grabbed the warlord and threw him over his shoulder, a move that landed the demon in a distant lake.

Mia and Yuli were stunned. Selena was smug. _I knew you could do it!_

"How come he's so strong?" Yuli asked.

"It's his armor," Mia answered. "He's grown stronger since he came out of the volcano."

"Yeah," Selena said, her voice distracted as she looked through her bag. "And he's reacting to Sage's armor."

Mia turned to her. "How do you know that?"

"The armors can sense each others' energy; they feed off of one another and give each other strength. When the five ronin are together, they'll be virtually unstoppable. That is why we need to get Sage." Selena found a flare and slid it into her gun.

"Wait! What are you doing?"

"Providing a distraction. Remember, I'm good at those."

"But – "

"Ryo needs to find Sage, which he cannot do with Mr. Venom on his tail." She checked to make sure that the gun was ready to be fired. "Ryo thinks we're bait, right?" Selena looked up at Mia and grinned. "Then bait is what we'll be."

Mia and Yuli barely had time to clap their hands over their ears before Selena pointed the gun into the air and fired. The flare shot into the sky and exploded in a brilliant burst of light. Sekhmet tore his gaze from Ryo and turned to the cave, into which Mia and Yuli were quickly disappearing. When Selena saw that she had the warlord's attention, she smiled and waved. Then she climbed into the cave after her two friends.

Sekhmet was furious. If they got to the ronin before he did …

"Get them!" he roared. Three dynasty soldiers emerged from the waters of the lake and headed toward the cave.

"I don't think so!" Ryo yelled and kicked one of the soldiers in the head. White Blaze, who had opted to stay behind to protect Ryo, leapt silently behind another soldier with his deadly claws outstretched.

They took down two soldiers, but another one made it past and was headed to the cave entrance.

"No!" Ryo yelled and ran after him, and then skidded to an abrupt stop as the entrance collapsed. He stared at the pile of rocks that now blocked the cave, dumbfounded. Six swords stuck out of the rubble.

Behind him, Sekhmet laughed. He called his swords to him and they returned to their sayas (scabbards), two by each hip and two on his back.

"They are doomed. My soldier will find them – if they don't lose their way first!"

Ryo scowled at the warlord and White Blaze growled, a low and menacing sound. The warlord wasn't daunted by their display. He chuckled and pulled the two swords from his back. He leveled them at Ryo and grinned.

"Now, boy, you are mine."

XX

They heard the collapse although they did not see it. Mia and Yuli huddled together to avoid the falling rocks and protect their eyes from debris and dust. Selena hid beyond the entrance for an entirely different reason.

When the soldier appeared in the cave just ahead of the collapse, she yelled (which was lost in the din of shifting earth) and kicked him in the chest. This was followed by a punch to the face – which really hurt her hand – and a vicious kick to the gut. Before the rocks had even finished falling, the soldier was down. He didn't get back up.

Selena looked down at the soldier in the rapidly diminishing light, disgust evident on her face.

_Damn it! I thought for sure that Sekhmet would come after us!_

Mi and Yuli, completely oblivious to the battle that had just occurred, picked themselves up from the cave floor and stared at the blocked entrance. Selena gladly left the fallen soldier in the dark and came to stand beside them. Mia tried to clear her head, her ears still ringing from the noise the rocks had created in their collapse.

"Ryo is still out there with that warlord! What are we going to do now?"

"We need to help him!" this was from Yuli, who tried to peer through the rocks to the outside.

"No." Selena shook her head. "We need to find Sage."

"But how? It's so dark in here."

Yuli was right. The only light came from faint cracks in the pile of rock at the now-blocked entrance; everywhere else it was so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. It was like being blind. But Selena didn't need her eyes to tell her where Sage was. She felt within herself for that certain chord, that particular pulse that was Halo …

She grinned, although the others could not see it.

_There you are._

Aloud she said, "Let's go."

XX

Ryo was not happy.

_What the hell was she thinking?_

At least Sekhmet hadn't followed Selena in to the cave. _That_ would have been a very ugly situation. He looked at Sekhmet and glared. If he wanted a fight, he was going to get one.

"Armor of Wildfire, dao Jin!"

Ryo closed his eyes as the familiar rush surrounded him. The power of fire raged through his body as his armor became part of him, an extension of his body and soul. He opened his eyes as his transformation finished and was surprised to note that his vision was blurry from the heat that radiated off of his armor. He had never felt this strong before!

Ryo unsheathed his katanas and gripped them tightly. "Come on, Sekhmet."

The warlord gave a short laugh. "You don't know who you're dealing with, boy."

"Then why don't I find out?" And without further ado, Ryo leapt at the demon, his swords held high.

He came crashing down on Sekhmet, who raised his weapons to block the attacking ronin. Unfortunately for Ryo the warlord was able to easily intercept the warrior and used his own momentum to send him sprawling on the ground. A large shadow was the only warning Ryo received and he rolled. Seconds later Sekhmet's twin blades struck the ground where Ryo had been, their venom seeping into the dusty earth.

Ryo tried to stand, but Sekhmet was fast. He struck at Ryo and succeeded in landing a blow to the ronin's shoulder blades. The warlord's venom was powerful; even through his armor Ryo felt searing pain as the poison seeped deeper into his sode (shoulder armor). White Blaze attacked then, going for the warlord's back, but with one swipe of his sword the demon easily fended off the attack.

"White Blaze, stay away!" Ryo yelled.

_This guy's venom destroys anything it touches!_ Seeing White Blaze retreat to the cave entrance gave him an idea. Before Sekhmet withdrew his remaining blade, the ronin struck with his own, cutting the underside of the demon's arm.

Surprised but unharmed, the warlord stepped back. "What's this? The little ronin has some sting?"

Ryo stood and tried to ignore the ache in his shoulders. He grimaced and Sekhmet noticed this. He laughed. "It hurts, doesn't it? Your armor is no match for my venom!"

As he said this, he lashed out again at Ryo. Venom poured from the warlord's sword tips, but Ryo had been hoping for this and simply moved out of the line of attack. As before Sekhmet could not stop the venom from traveling. His poison sped toward the fallen rocks at the cave entrance.

Ryo didn't hesitate. He swiftly merged his swords together and brought them down on the unsuspecting warlord.

"FLARE UP NOW!"

His attack blinded Sekhmet as the entire area went white. The warlord was swept up in Wildfire's powerful assault, and Ryo didn't wait to see the outcome. He turned to the cave entrance and was glad to see that it was now free of any obstruction, thanks to Sekhmet's venom, and without glancing behind him, entered the cave with White Blaze hot on his tail.

XX

Yuli's voice echoed throughout the cave, which had been quiet except for the sound of their footsteps, the muted splash of dripping water, and falling rocks. "Selena, how do you know where we're going?"

Selena adjusted her backpack and sighed. "I don't, at least not really. I just try to find the easiest way into the cave." It was partially the truth. Although she could sense Sage, she couldn't see anything. And so she had to pick her way along the uneven ground and guess as to what direction they were headed in.

"But how will we find Sage?"

"The Legend said that 'darkest prison sheds the light' so he must be in the darkest part of the cave."

Yuli pouted. "But how will we know where that is? It's already so dark in here."

Selena closed her eyes and sent a wish heavenward that this kid wasn't so damn perceptive. Or at least was less inclined to voice his thoughts. She carefully pulled herself on top of a ledge and turned around to help Yuli up. Mia was right behind him.

"Just think of it as an adventure, Yuli. We're explorers searching for a treasure and we have to get there before the bandits do. Use your feet – there you go." She hauled the boy up and he sat next to her as Selena turned to see if Mia needed any help getting up.

"This whole week has been an adventure," the boy said and Selena laughed gently. "Yes, I suppose it has been." She grabbed Mia's hand and helped the woman maintain her balance as she pulled herself onto the ledge next to Selena and Yuli.

"Whew," Mia breathed heavily. "Do you mind if we take a break?"

Selena focused on Sage; he wasn't far away. "Sure," she said. "I could do with a little breather."

The trio settled into an easy silence for a while as they caught their breath. When Yuli spoke, it was hesitant.

"What do you think Ryo is doing?"

The women glanced in each other's directions. "I'm sure that he's fine, Yuli," Mia said.

"Yeah," Selena concurred. "Sekhmet didn't look that tough."

"Are you so sure about that?"

Mia, Selena, and Yuli whipped around and were horrified to see the Warlord of Venom standing in the cave not ten feet away from them.

"What? How did you get in?" Selena demanded, incredulous.

"It doesn't matter." Through the darkness Selena could sense his grin. She gasped and then lashed out as something big and cold grabbed her from behind. From the noises next to her she knew that Mia and Yuli were caught as well. She felt the cold steel of a blade against her cheek and knew that it was a dynasty soldier that held her. Apparently the ledge was larger than she'd thought.

Sekhmet appraised the trio. "You seek Halo." It wasn't a question.

Selena tried to stifle her gasp of surprise. How did he know? Could he sense her?

_No. That's impossible. Master Kaos is protecting me. He must mean something else._

The warlord misunderstood their lack of response as acquiescence. "That is good. Finding him will be easier than I thought."

_Of course it will_, Selena thought sourly. The pulse that connected the armors to each other would only grow stronger the closer they were to a guardian of the mystical armor.

The soldier's grip around her tightened and he lifted her, throwing her over his shoulder. Selena protested at this undignified treatment and beat the soldier's back with her fists, but it did nothing other than amuse Sekhmet, who laughed quite gaily at their predicament.

"Put me down!" Yuli shouted.

"I don't think so. You three will come in handy if Wildfire causes any more trouble."

Trouble? What was he talking about? "What have you done with Ryo? Where is he?" Selena demanded but the warlord just ignored her and walked further into the cave – precisely in the direction where Sage was hidden. The soldiers followed with their unwilling cargo firmly in their grip.

They walked for a long time. Sage was near, Selena could sense it, but the cave's winding paths and sudden drops caused the group to move slowly. Finally Sekhmet had enough of tiptoeing around and decided to make his own path. He unsheathed one of his swords and cut a hole in the wall in front of them. In an instant the venom ate through the rock and a new cavern lay open before them. In fact, they heard voices. Selena blinked, her eyes hurting inexplicably. Was that light?

The group stepped through the hole and before she even saw it Selena knew that they'd found Sage. Their captors put them down but they did not release their hold on them. The trio gasped. Embedded high above them in a column of rock laid Sage, who was immobilized and unconscious. Selena was glad to see him, although she feared what Sekhmet, with his all-consuming venom, would do. Ironically, it was Yuli who restored her hope.

"Ryo!" the boy cried and Selena tore her gaze from Sage and looked downward. There at the base of the column stood Ryo in full armor. White Blaze was with him. They turned at Yuli's cry and tensed when they caught sight of Sekhmet and his soldiers.

Sekhmet and Ryo barely made eye contact before the demon launched himself at the ronin. He grabbed the young man by the neck and slammed him against the column that held Sage.

"You are weak, boy. Stand aside and let me meet your friend!"

White Blaze charged at the warlord, who laughed cruelly and threw his captive at the oncoming tiger. Helpless to stop himself, Ryo collided with White Blaze and both man and animal went down.

"No!" Mia and Selena cried.

"White Blaze! Get up!" Yuli yelled. Gradually both ronin and tiger got off the rocky cave floor.

"Are you all right, White Blaze?" Ryo asked. In reply the tiger growled and leapt at Sekhmet. Although he wanted to help the animal, an internal force compelled Ryo to aide Sage. Ryo went to the column and placed his hand on its side. He could feel Sage inside and willed his friend to wake up, but nothing happened.

"Come on, Sage! Wake up!"

When he was met with only silence, Ryo grew frustrated and slammed his fist against the pillar. Selena watched Ryo keenly as he tried to revive his fellow ronin. She saw the pillar crack slightly, but knew that it wasn't enough to awaken Sage. A few more hits might do it, but they were rapidly running out of time. Sekhmet threw White Blaze off of him, and the tiger yelped in pain.

Selena had to help. With her captor distracted by the battle, she subtly moved her right hand into her pants pocket. She gripped the object there and concentrated. Invisible power channeled toward the column and struck simultaneously with Ryo's second punch. For a brief moment the three energies pulsed as one, and then they moved outwards.

Sekhmet withdrew a second sword and stepped forward to fight, but he was too late. A myriad of cracks appeared in the rock around Ryo's hand. The cracks splintered and then rapidly traveled upward. When they reached Sage there was an ominous snap, which was quickly followed by a brilliant burst of light and an explosion that turned thousands of rock slivers into crystal.

When the light faded, two fully armed ronin warriors stood side by side. Sekhmet screamed in rage and made ready to attack, but Sage, newly released from prison and pulsing with raw power, didn't even give the warlord a chance to take one step toward them. He raised his long sword above his head and swiftly brought it down.

"THUNDER BOLT CUT!"

Once more the cavern was filled with light, and once more Selena found herself taking advantage of an unexpected opportunity. Assured that Sage's power would hide her own, Selena released more energy and felt extremely gratified when the three soldiers holding her, Mia, and Yuli were incinerated. Not even a crater marked the spot where they'd stood. Selena smiled smugly.

_That'll teach them to manhandle me!_

When the attack was over, only the two ronin and their four companions stood in the dreary cavern.

Yuli ran to White Blaze. He hugged the tiger, which was struggling to his feet, and looked at Ryo, worry evident in his gaze. "Will he be all right?"

White Blaze yipped and Ryo nodded, clearly relieved at his friend's recovery. "Yeah, he'll be fine. He was just knocked a little off balance, that's all." He turned to Sage and smiled. "Man, it's good to see you."

Sage nodded. "Ryo, thank you for rescuing me. I heard you but I couldn't respond."

Mia frowned. "You heard him? But you were embedded in rock."

Sage tried to describe what happened. "I didn't hear his voice; it was more of a feeling, like I knew that he was there. When Ryo was nearby my armor could sense it."

"Yeah," Ryo agreed. "I felt you, too. That's how I found you, or else I might have been searching the cave for days."

Sage looked troubled. "Ryo, right before I woke up I felt a strange power. It was there and then it just disappeared."

"Maybe it was your new power that you were sensing," Mia offered. "Ryo has been stronger ever since he came out of Mount Fuji."

"Yeah, maybe," Sage said, but he still looked doubtful.

Selena schooled her face into a mask of indifference. "Well, in any case you're free." She smiled at the ronin. "I'm glad to have you with us."

Sage gave her a startled look, noticing her for the first time. "Thanks."

Selena clapped her hands together and hoisted her backpack over her shoulder. "Alright, we've got a lot to do. We've still got three more ronin to find."

Yuli piped up from where he stood next to White Blaze. "Yeah, but how do we get out of here? It's so dark!"

Everyone laughed. Sage brandished his sword and smiled. "Don't worry, kid. I've got it covered."

XX

Confined to the dynasty, Anubis watched the most recent battle with the ronin alone. He wasn't surprised that Sekhmet had bungled his mission to destroy Halo; the warlord was a fool. Perhaps Master Talpa and the other warlords would be more contrite now that another ronin had revived.

On the screen Halo executed his attack, but Anubis' attention was centered elsewhere. A subtle movement by that annoying blond woman drew his gaze her way. His eyes narrowed as he watched her and then grew wide with surprise.

Halo's attack had defeated Sekhmet but had not destroyed the three dynasty soldiers holding the ronin's friends captive, and yet the soldiers were gone.

_Impossible_! He thought but he had seen it with his own eyes. Anubis heard Halo mention something about a strange power and oddly enough it was Selena's casual reaction to this news that caused the pieces to fall into place in his mind. Anubis went slack jawed from shock. When he told Master Talpa what he knew – !

– No. Talpa didn't want to have anything to do with him and as of yet he had no proof, just an overwhelming suspicion that felt incredibly _right_. And there was no way in the thirteen leagues of hell that he would let the other warlords know his suspicions, much less take the credit and favor of their master.

No. He was going to do this alone, confinement be damned.

Anubis thought of Selena and their encounters so far and knew that he was right. "It looks like the spitfire is a warrior after all."

He grinned.

* * *

**Notes:**

For Dr. Koji's exorcism I described an abbreviated version of a Shinto water purification rite called _misogi_. Misgoi is performed before entering a sacred site to rid the person of any sin or impurities that they may be carrying with them so that they do not tarnish the holy site. The phrase that Selena's speaks is from a chant that misgoi participants repeat. It asks that the gods wash away the sin from the six elements that make up the human being. Yelling "yei" dispels the impurity.

I chose Japan's Akiyoshido cave as the site of Sage's imprisonment. The cave is located in the Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park in the city of Mine at the western end of Honshu. At 100 meters wide and at least 8.79 kilometers of passages, it the longest cave in Japan and one of the longest in Asia. The park also has many karst pinnacles like those seen in the episode "Halo's Prison." You can view the pinnacles in the Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park at http:/en . wikipedia . org/wiki/File:Akiyoshidai-Minamiyama . jpg (remove spaces).

The thirteen leagues of hell is a reference to the 13 Buddhist deities that preside over the 13 levels of judgment of deceased human souls. These deities are invoked at memorial services held for the dead by members of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. These 13 deities are closely associated with the Ten Kings of Hell, who judge the soul of the deceased in the courts of the netherworld.


	6. The Counter Attack

**I apologize for the lateness of this update. I had several crises occur nearly simultaneously and I have been focused on managing them. But all is well now and I celebrate with this post! Thank you for reading! I truly appreciate your support.**

**Author's notes at the end.**

**

* * *

**_**Five**_

Talpa was not happy.

"Another ronin has revived!"

The four warlords flinched at the sheer anger in their master's voice and lowered their gazes in apology, deference, and to avoid their master's wrath. Sekhmet, knowing that most of Talpa's anger was directed at him, bowed especially low.

"I am sorry, master. I underestimated Wildfire's capabilities. I – "

Talpa cut him off. "It was not Wildfire who defeated you."

Sekhmet paused. "No, but I have found another ronin, the one called Torrent."

Talpa chose not to comment on his underling's obvious change of the topic and instead directed the warlords' attention to the screen behind them.

"Yes," Talpa said and the screen turned on. The warlords turned to see four figures standing on a bridge overlooking three large whirlpools. Anubis focused on Selena and a plan began to form in his head.

"Torrent lies beneath those waters," Talpa explained. The screen changed and showed Halo and the dark-haired woman inside a car driving away from the others. "And another is hidden in the North."

Anubis turned from the screen and bowed to Talpa. "Master, allow me to take care of Torrent."

Sekhmet laughed. "You? You have already lost to Wildfire and that girl!"

Anubis scowled at his fellow warlord. "And what of your performance at the caves? Wildfire and Halo took care of you easily enough!"

"They were both ronin. There is honor in that, at least. You were beaten by a mortal girl with a borrowed sword!"

Cale spoke before Anubis could make a retort. "You both have failed Master Talpa and embarrassed the dynasty!" He turned to Talpa. "Master, I am ready. Let me go."

"Enough!" Talpa's short command expressed his impatience with his bickering warlords. "You have been patient, Cale, and I believe you have the power to face the ronin. Seek Hardrock in the North, and if you see Halo, destroy him." Cale bowed, grinning, and disappeared. Talpa fell silent as he considered his remaining three warlords.

"Sekhmet."

Immediately the warlord of venom bowed. "Yes, my master."

"Stop Wildfire from reviving Torrent. Destroy them if you can. This is your last chance, Sekhmet. Do not fail me."

The warlord bowed low. "Never, my master. Thank you." He straightened and sent Anubis a triumphant look before he disappeared.

Anubis refrained from scowling, but only just. He bowed with Dais as Talpa departed, the image of deference, but his mind was making careful adjustments to his plan to comply with the turn of events. Anubis straightened and resolved to watch Sekhmet's upcoming battle carefully. The warlord's involvement just might work in his favor – if he didn't screw it up.

XX

The group stared at the swirling waters beneath them. Selena whistled low. She liked water – she was on a swim team in high school – but this was a bit too much for her. Yuli gulped.

"Cye is down there?" he sounded doubtful. "How are we going to get him?"

Ryo laughed. "With my armor I can swim like a fish. I'll have him out of there in no time."

Selena snorted. Personally, she thought that they'd have an easier time draining the harbor.

"I don't think that your armor is best suited for a dip in the water, Ryo."

The young man nodded, suddenly serious. "I know. But what other choice do we have? We have to get to Cye."

Selena looked back down at the waters and bit her lip, something that she did when she was nervous. Even through the incredible depth of the raging waters Cye called out to them; she could feel him. The urge to unite the ronin armors was as tangible and as steady as a heartbeat. Selena understood why Ryo didn't want to wait to think of another plan; she wanted to jump in herself!

She pulled her gaze away from the water and looked at Ryo. She nodded her assent and the boy smiled. "I'll be right back," he promised her. "White Blaze, look after Yuli and Selena." With that Ryo stood on the bridge railing and dove into the twirling waters below.

The two humans watched as the red figure hit the water and disappeared beneath the waves. Selena sighed and sat down to rest and wait. White Blaze sat on his haunches next to her and she stroked his fur while her other hand rubbed absently at her ankle. The swelling had gone down and it didn't hurt much any more, which Selena was grateful for. It was a minor inconvenience that she was glad to see go away. And maybe now Ryo would stop berating her for going into a dark and dangerous cave while injured.

That was one of the reasons why she was here and not with Sage looking for Kento. Mia and Sage were headed to the mountains, which were far too rocky for her to climb, even with her ankle mending as it was. Plus, Ryo wanted to keep an eye on her.

_Good luck trying to do that while under water_, Selena thought.

White Blaze tensed beside her and seconds later Yuli cried, "Selena, look!" She got up and turned her gaze to where the boy was pointing. She groaned, although she was not surprised with what she saw.

A legion of dark samurai were perched on the edges of a cliff that overlooked the harbor, and they were firing arrows into the water where Ryo had disappeared.

"We gotta do something! Ryo could get hurt!"

Selena doubted the effectiveness of their efforts since presumably Ryo was deep under water, but deadly or not the samurai were a nuisance and had to be stopped. For once she agreed with the boy.

"I have an idea."

Fifteen minutes later Selena and Yuli were crouched beneath some trees. White Blaze was elsewhere on the hill, preparing to launch their attack. Selena went over the plan while she rapidly made a rudimentary weapon.

"I'll throw this and it will take out one of them," she said as she wrapped a large rock in some rope. "I'll head back here. When you see the soldiers, pull hard on the rope." Selena pointed to the thick rope that lay on the ground between two trees. "White Blaze should take care of any soldiers behind us. Got it?"

Yuli nodded. "Got it. Those goons will never know what hit them!"

"Yeah." Suddenly Selena was serious. "But if things get ugly, I want you to get out of here. Okay?"

"Okay." Yuli watched as Selena finished tying the rope around the rock and asked, "Selena, how come you know so much about fighting?"

To her credit, Selena didn't even falter. She held up her weapon, a rock tied to a long rope. "I learned this from my brother. He used to hunt, and knew all kinds of ways to trap animals."

"But that isn't for trapping an animal."

"No, it isn't." Selena stood up. "Remember what I told you: pull hard and if you have to, run fast. I'll be right back."

She left the boy under the tree and silently made her way to the cliff where the samurai were still shooting at the water. She gathered her weapon, spun it above her head, aimed and released. The rock and rope flew through the air and caught a samurai around his neck. He went down.

The other archers near him turned at the crash he made. Selena turned and ran. A cry went out and she knew that they'd seen her. She ran faster.

Arrows flew past her as she weaved in the woods and she was thankful that the samurai were terrible archers. She saw Yuli hidden by his tree and she jumped – just barely avoiding an arrow that grazed her shoulder – landed in the brush, grabbed the rope, and yelled, "Pull!"

Yuli yanked on his end of the rope and she did the same to hers. The rope came up just as a group of samurai closed in and they fell to the ground. A deafening roar followed on the heels of their fall and White Blaze attacked. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Selena made her way to Yuli and grabbed his arm – this wasn't something that a child should see. They ran to the cliff and Selena scanned the area for any remaining soldiers. There were two, although they were no longer firing into the water. Without pausing to consider what that meant, Selena told Yuli to stay hidden and grabbed a thick branch that had fallen on the ground.

She snuck up on one samurai and hit him in the head with the branch. The other turned to her. She slammed the end of the branch into the first soldier's back and pushed. He fell off the cliff. The remaining samurai tried to grab a small dagger in his belt but Selena hit him in the gut with the end of the branch, flipped her weapon and jammed the other end against the bottom of his jaw. Then she used the branch to balance herself as she kicked him in the chest. He followed his companion over the edge of the cliff without a sound.

"Wow!" Yuli ran up to her. "Did your brother teach you that, too?"

"No. Someone else did." Selena hefted the branch. "Come on. Let's go see how White Blaze is doing."

They turned to leave and someone stepped in front of their path. Selena sucked in her breath and narrowed her eyes at their unwelcome guest.

"Sekhmet!" Coming from Yuli, the warlord's name sounded like the closest thing to a curse word the boy had ever said.

The warlord chuckled but his eyes were serious. He looked at Selena. "I see that my dark warriors were no match for you."

"Victory is simple when your enemy doesn't have a brain."

Sekhmet's eyes narrowed; he knew that she wasn't just referring to the soulless dynasty samurai.

"I see what Anubis meant. You are very annoying." He looked her over and laughed. "But inconsequential. Now if you'll excuse me; I have an appointment with your ronin friends!"

"No! Cye! Ryo!"

But the warlord was already gone. Selena and Yuli watched in dismay as he disappeared into the water below. Selena shook her head. "Come on, Yuli. Let's find White Blaze."

The young boy resisted. "But what about Ryo and Cye? That Sekhmet is after them!"

"There's nothing we can do right now. We'll get White Blaze and then think of something, okay?"

"Fine," Yuli grumbled and kicked a rock at his feet. "But I don't like not being able to help them!"

Selena nodded. "Neither do I."

XX

They just made it back to the bridge when the water beneath started swirling violently. Yuli ran to the side and peered over the rail.

"What's going on down there?"

Selena stared hard at the raging waves that were littered with dead fish, her brow furrowed in concentration. Was this Sekhmet's doing?

Seconds later something shot out of the water. When she saw that it was aimed at them, Selena pulled Yuli back from the side of the bridge. She tensed, thinking it might be another dynasty trick, but she didn't have to worry.

"Cye!" Yuli yelled. White Blaze yipped in greeting and Selena sighed in relief. Another ronin was revived. But her relief quickly turned to concern when she saw that Cye carried Ryo over his shoulder.

She quickly ran up to Cye, who placed Ryo on the ground.

"What happened?" she asked as she kneeled beside the unconscious ronin and made room for White Blaze. The worried tiger whined and butted his head against Ryo's as Selena checked the man's pulse.

"He spent too much time in the water. Any longer and he wouldn't have made it."

Ryo's pulse beat strong beneath her fingers, and Selena breathed a little easier. "His armor saved him," she murmured but Cye heard her and looked at her in surprise.

"Yes," he said. "But it also nearly killed him."

"Will Cye be alright?" Yuli asked, his eyes wide with worry.

Cye smiled gently at the young boy. "Yeah, he just needs a little rest." He turned and jumped up on the bridge railing. "I'll be right back; I'm going to deal with Sekhmet."

"Kick his butt!" Yuli yelled. White Blaze growled his agreement and Cye jumped off the bridge and into the water.

Selena watched Cye leave and then turned her attention back to Ryo. "Yuli," she called, "can you help me take Ryo's helmet off?"

The boy came over and sat on the ronin's other side. "Why do we need to take off his helmet?"

"So he can breathe easier. Here, grab that end – mind that you don't pull his hair – that's it, excellent!" Ryo's helmet came off and Selena placed it on the ground next to her. She then took off her jacket, folded it, and placed it under Ryo to elevate his head.

"There," Selena said, wiping some stray hair out of her eyes, "he should be alright now."

White Blaze licked her face and Selena blushed. "Uh, you're welcome." Yuli got up and the tiger took his place next to Ryo. He lay down and silently watched his master's face for any signs of movement aside from his steady breathing. Selena watched the ronin, too, in case his condition should change suddenly.

Yuli, who was leaning over the railing, let out a startled yelp. Selena and White Blaze snapped to attention and she stared as two figures sailed out of the water. They flew high above the bridge and Selena craned her neck to keep them in sight. They landed on top of the bridge with a crash so hard that the group felt the vibrations over fifty feet below.

A slight change in White Blaze's posture caught Selena's attention and she swung her gaze his way. His body was tense, and for a second she thought it was due to the battle above them. Then she heard the distinct rumble of an engine, and it was loud. Very loud.

Selena looked up in time to see a diesel truck barreling toward them on the bridge, then White Blaze grabbed her and Ryo, a cable broke loose from the bridge and hit the truck just as it crossed where Selena had been moments before. Then the truck exploded.

Searing heat spread across the bridge. Selena grabbed Yuli and the two of them huddled against the cool concrete wall. White Blaze towered over them with Ryo on his back as they made their way down the bridge and away from the center of the fire.

Two figures fell from the top of the bridge – one on his back and the other on his feet. Selena cursed silently as she saw Sekhmet lash out at Cye with his deadly venom swords, and the warrior was thrown farther down the bridge.

"Oh no! Cye!" Yuli yelled.

"Cye?"

Selena whipped around at Ryo's voice. Was he awake? The young man groaned and Selena caught his whispered end of his virtue.

_Righteousness …_

Shadows from the fire flickered on his armor, catching Selena's gaze. Her eyes darted from Ryo's still form to the fire several feet beyond, and then jumped to her feet. "Come on, White Blaze! Get Ryo closer to the fire!"

Somehow the tiger understood her command and brought the ronin as close to the flames as he dared go. Selena carefully placed his helmet on his head and then helped slip Ryo off of the tiger's back. She waited.

In a few moments Ryo began to stir, and then his eyes opened. Selena smiled and Yuli cheered.

"Yay! You're alright!"

Ryo blinked and sat up. "What happened?"

"Cye brought you out of the water; it was too much for your armor."

Yuli quickly brought Ryo up to speed. "Yeah, and then Sekhmet blew up this truck and White Blaze brought you to it so you could get charged."

"Where's Cye?"

Selena pointed. "Fighting that warlord, and he's not doing very well. He needs your help."

Ryo eyed her, half playful, half serious. "You're not going to distract him?"

Selena laughed, not offended. "Already taken care of."

The ronin stood and tested his balance. It was a little rocky, but it would have to do. "I'm sure." He looked around. "Where to?"

"Straight through those flames. It should make a dramatic entrance."

It did. Emerging with swords drawn from the thick black smoke and raging fire, Ryo looked like a deadly phoenix rising from the ashes. Sekhmet, who had foolishly forgotten about Ryo, was caught completely off guard.

"What? You're alive? Impossible!"

Seconds before he struck, Ryo faltered. Then the warlord's blades hit him and Ryo was sent flying.

"Cye!" he cried. It was both a command and a plea, but Ryo was cut short as his body hit the cement. He landed hard and did not move.

Selena felt a jolt inside her and her eyes went wide. She knew that call and apparently so did Cye. He stood up and for the second time that day Sekhmet was astonished.

"This ends today!" the warlord yelled and prepared to strike again, but Cye acted first.

"I don't think so, Sekhmet!" the ronin yelled. He stepped forward, extended his spear, jabbed the warlord's midsection, withdrew and then hit the demon in the head with the curved blades of the trident.

Sekhmet was unbalanced but not beaten, but it gave Ryo enough time to recover. With his attention focused on Cye, Sekhmet failed to see Ryo coming up behind him. Wildfire grabbed the warlord and with a signal to Cye, the two ronin unleashed their powerful attacks.

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

"FLARE UP NOW!"

In an amazing display, a concentrated whirlpool of raging water slammed into the demon as heat from Ryo's attack seared the warlord and lit up the entire area. Selena and Yuli were forced to shield their eyes and so did not witness the massive attack, but they heard it. The roar of water and fire swallowed Sekhemt's screams of rage. The noise was deafening.

When the sounds subsided, Selena opened her eyes although her ears were still ringing. She smiled as she saw the two ronin standing side by side with no warlord in sight. Thank God for that.

But the bridge was completely destroyed. The middle of the structure was replaced with a gaping hole. The city wouldn't be happy about that, but on the upside at least it looked like the ronin were learning to control the power of their attacks. This was a vast improvement over the city block sized hole that Ryo had created in that mall during their first battle with the dynasty.

Yuli was happy for a different reason.

"Whoo hoo! You guys did it! That was totally awesome!"

Ryo and Cye turned and smiled at the boy.

"Together the power of Torrent and Wildfire was amazing," Ryo said.

Selena laughed. "I'd say." She walked up to Cye and grinned. "I'm glad to have you back, Cye."

"Me, too!" Yuli beamed. "Just wait'll Mia and Sage get back with Kento! Then we'll almost be together again!"

Cye was surprised. "You found Sage?"

"Yeah, and he's headed for Kento right now."

Selena spoke up. "Until they get back, how about we find a place to set up camp? Preferably somewhere not here." She looked pointedly at the destroyed bridge.

At least the ronin had the grace to look sheepish.

"Oops."

XX

Several hours later Selena kneeled barefoot on a wooden tatami mat inside a sparsely lit shrine and bowed in prayer. She inhaled slowly, and savored the bittersweet smell of burning incense and the still quiet of the sacred site. She was in a small shrine in a forest near Toyoma, and it was the first time that she'd been alone in over a week. She'd left the boys to make camp and they hadn't questioned her, glad to be without female supervision for once.

Selena understood. They needed time to get to know one another and to work through the chaos of the last week. So did she. She'd acted carelessly on more than one occasion in their battles with the warlords, and that was going to have to change if she wanted to gain her companions' trust.

She closed her eyes and cleared her mind.

The attack was completely unexpected. A cold breeze ran through her clothes, the candlelight flickered, and suddenly he was behind her. Selena felt cold arms wrap around her and pull her to her feet. Warm breath brushed her ear.

"Hello, spitfire."

Selena immediately twisted and lashed out at her captor, but he only stepped out of her way and released her. She felt his grip on her arms loosen and Selena ripped herself from his grasp and quickly put some distance between them. She scanned her surroundings, desperately looking for anything that she could use to defend herself, but she saw nothing except a menacing half-shadow in the low light of the shrine.

"Anubis," she spat, her voice dripping with disdain. "I expected you to be buried under a mountain of ash, and yet here you are."

Anubis chuckled, and Selena didn't like what she heard behind his voice. He seemed almost amused, as if he was only tolerating her remarks for the time being.

"I had forgotten how aggravating you could be, Selena. But that will change."

Selena noticed that the warlord hadn't made any move to draw his weapon, and that simple reality terrified her more than the thought of facing those damn chains again. As alarming as that prospect was, at least it was familiar.

_He doesn't think he'll need his weapon. _

Selena paled as the implications sunk in. What the hell was going on?

"Why are you here?" she tried to quell her rising fear, but some of it got through. Anubis smiled as he caught the slight tremor in her voice.

_Good, _he thought. _You should be afraid, little one._ He extended his hand and to Selena it looked like an offer from the devil himself.

"For you."

There was no question as to what he meant. Selena's gaze flickered from the warlord's outstretched hand to his face. Their eyes met; hers were wary, his full of triumph. Selena fled.

Anubis' laughter followed her as she escaped the shrine and headed to the path that would take her to the ronin's campsite.

It was cowardly, she knew but there was something about the way the demon looked at her that made Selena's gut twist in fear; and she was not prone to panic.

The ground in front of her exploded. Selena skidded to a stop and ducked as gravel and dirt flew around her. She caught sight of crimson chains ahead and knew that Anubis was nearby. The earth groaned and she watched, stunned as fully-grown trees were uprooted as easily as weeds. They fell to the ground in thunderous crashes, blocking her escape.

Selena cursed and ran into the woods, vainly hoping that the dense foliage would provide some cover.

She was wrong. As she ran trees randomly broke and fell in her way, and she was forced to change direction. Selena knew that she was being herded, that Anubis was playing with her. But if she stopped and faced him, the warlord would have the upper hand. She had no cover, no weapon – hell, she didn't even have any shoes! So she kept running, kept dodging falling trees, and planned.

If she could get to a place that offered some kind of advantage: protection, height, high-level explosives …

Another tree slammed to the ground in front of her, she turned, and just barely managed to stop herself from cracking her skull against a rocky overhang. Selena took a rapid step back and her mouth dropped open.

What. The. Hell. She'd run from a maniacal demonic warlord straight into a solid rock wall! This was the most stereotypical thing that could possibly happen to her. No wonder Anubis pushed her out here; there wasn't anything that she could use in her defense! He had the complete advantage.

Slow footsteps approached her from behind, and Selena knew that he was there. Her pride wounded and pissed as hell, Selena whirled around to face her pursuer.

"You coward!"

Anubis halted in his approach; this was obviously not what he had been expecting.

"Coward? You are the one running away."

Selena rolled her eyes. "So says the one who has been destroying half the forest in pursuit of a shoeless, unarmed woman!" She pointed to her feet, which were torn and bloody from her wild dash through the woods.

Anubis scoffed at Selena's words. "You could change that easily enough, girl." He walked forward until they were feet apart. He noticed that she didn't back away from him, but stood resolute despite her pitiful circumstances. His respect for her increased, but he didn't show it. The warlord sneered at her, his voice taunting. "Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid?"

Selena's anger was quickly replaced with wariness. She narrowed her eyes at the demon. "What do you mean?"

"I know what you are."

Selena's insides froze and she could not stop the fear that showed in her eyes. Anubis saw this and grinned. He held out his closed hand and opened it. In the center of his palm lay a small round object. It was glowing brightly. Selena looked at it and was stunned into silence.

Her hand automatically went to her pants pocket. Dread filled her heart as her fingers met only emptiness, not the soothing roundness she sought. Her heart beat rapidly in alarm.

_How - ?_

"I can feel you, Selena." Anubis closed his eyes and focused on the object in his possession. "Your armor reacts to mine."

Her world shattered. He knew! He knew who she was! But how did he find out?_ It doesn't matter_, the more rational part of her mind ordered. _He knows and now you must deal with it. _

But she couldn't get over the shock that her secret had been discovered. _He knows! He knows! _

Like a perverted mantra, the words kept repeating over and over in her panicked mind.

Her mouth opened and shut like a fish's. "I – " Rising hysteria constricted her throat and clamped her vocal cords. Selena wanted to vomit.

Anubis opened his eyes and locked gazes with her. His smile was one of triumphant conquest.

"You are nothing without this!" He held up her powerball and then closed his fist around it, a clear act of dominance. Selena felt by that action he possessed her life, possessed her soul. Anger, fear, and despair warred for dominance inside her.

The warlord's next words were haunting.

"You, Ronin, are mine."

For a brief moment Selena felt like passing out, but she absolutely refused to let the demon get the better of her. He may have the advantage, but she was still standing. Selena planned to stay that way.

She looked Anubis over and quickly gauged the situation. He was protected by his armor and, though he chose not to use it, he was armed. Selena knew that it would be foolish to attack him directly and so, uncharacteristically she waited for him to make the first move.

She didn't have long to wait. Sensing her hesitation, Anubis closed the distance between them and made to grab her. That's when she struck. Selena snapped up her right arm to block him and punched him with her other hand. Anubis was expecting a move of some kind – he wasn't so foolish as to assume that she'd just give up – and easily blocked her attack. Instead of releasing her as he had in the shrine, the warlord shifted his grip on Selena's right arm, pushed his body into hers and threw her over his shoulders.

Selena hit the ground on her back, but her outstretched arms softened the blow and positioned her body for another attack. Putting her weight on one leg she lashed out with the other and kicked Anubis in the knee. The warlord's leg buckled slightly, but he did not fall.

Anubis took an instinctual step back and that was enough. His small retreat allowed Selena the space and time to get up. Unfortunately the demon knew this and quickly circled Selena to cut off her escape route. Once again Selena found herself caught between the rock wall and the armed warlord.

Anubis laughed. "You cannot win, Selena. I possess your armor. Give in."

"The hell I will!" she spat back, her determination returning to her. Adrenaline pumped hard and fast through her veins, bringing a clarity that she had misplaced in her earlier panic. There was more at stake here than her pride and his revenge. She _had_ to get her powerball back.

Without warning, Selena turned and ran at the rock wall. She jumped, pushed off the wall with her foot, twisted in mid-air and swung her leg around, aiming at Anubis. Now that he knew who she was, she didn't have to pretend and slammed into him with her full strength.

Her foot connected with his chest in a blow that knocked the wind out of the warlord, but it was a brief victory. The demon was quick. Almost as soon as she hit him, Anubis wrapped his arms around her legs, pinning her body to his. With their combined momentum they both fell to the ground.

The impact was so hard that it made Selena's head spin. She landed with her lower body on the warlord's chest and left shoulder. The shikoro (nape guard) and curved crest of his kabuto pressed roughly against her stomach. But she barely noticed this. Selena's gaze was riveted on the shiny round object on the ground a few feet in front of her. It was her powerball! Anubis' dual impact with the ground and her body had jarred the object from his grip.

Internally, Selena smiled. It had been unorthodox and awkward, but her hastily made plan had worked. Well, almost.

Not waiting for her vision to clear, Selena pushed herself off of Anubis' body and reached for the object where it lay in the dirt. She stretched her hand out, and her fingertips brushed the side of the ball. Suddenly she was roughly pulled back. Anubis' grip on her legs was bruising. Selena cried out as his fingers dug into her skin; now she couldn't move her legs at all! So she compensated.

Ignoring the pain the action caused, Selena turned her body over and rolled so that the warlord's hands and arms twisted at an extreme angle. He was forced to release her and Selena, now on her back, didn't waste any time in delivering a vicious kick to the demon's solar plexus.

Selena didn't bother to watch his reaction; instead she got to her feet, turned, and grabbed her powerball. Energy flooded through her, healing the various cuts and bruises on her body as a new power washed over her. When Selena opened her eyes her clothes had disappeared, replaced with golden-yellow body armor.

She turned and faced Anubis. The expression on his face was murderous.

"So," he said, surveying her, "you truly are a warrior."

Selena's smile was just a tad haughty. "You bet." She took a step back, outstretched her arms and interlocked her hands. Anubis recognized the position and made to stop her, but he was too late.

With a sly gleam in her eyes, Selena yelled her transformation phrase.

"Armor of Fervor, dao Nin!"

Golden light surrounded her and fierce heat ran through her body as the armor was called forth. But the fire that enveloped her was not like Ryo's. Hers was an inner fire, a dauntless spirit that coursed through her veins and gave her strength. Selena sighed in contentment as the familiar weight settled on her person. It had been a long time since she'd last summoned the armor, and it felt good to have the power back.

Her transformation complete, Selena reached behind her and drew her weapon: a single odachi, with a golden hilt that matched the color of her armor.

Like the other ronin armor, hers was quite simple. High on her cuirass, above her heart, was her armor's symbol: three interlocking spirals that together formed one circle. Her haidate (thigh guards) were elongated so that they came down to her shins, and the kusazuri (tassets that are connected to the cuirass) fell to mid-thigh. Beneath the kusazuri and between the haidate was thick golden fabric that hung to just below her shins. Together it gave her armor a slightly feminized appearance. The most striking feature of her armor was its golden-yellow hue, which shone brightly in the sunlight and gave her an almost angelic appearance. But there was only so much that could be considered innocent about a warrior who held a five-foot long sword.

Selena ran her thumb over her sword's golden braid and smiled. Now the odds were in her favor. She faced an enemy whose strength and attacks she was familiar with, while Anubis had no knowledge of her abilities whatsoever. Plus, she was no longer trapped between the warlord and the wall. Yes, things were beginning to look up.

Anubis was surprised. Yes, he knew that the girl was a ronin, but to see it with his own eyes was something else entirely. He gaped at her form, which stood rigid with confidence.

_The Armor of Fervor …_

This explained much: why she had so willingly defied him, even though it was dangerous for a human to do so; why she had been able to wield Wildfire's sword; and why she appeared to know so much about the ronin armors.

When Selena unsheathed her sword, Anubis also drew his weapon. He held the kusarigama in his hands lightly as he observed his opponent, searching for an opening.

"So, Selena, your true identity is revealed."

Selena didn't bother with a response. A 'yes' would have been too obvious, and a 'no' would suggest truths that she wasn't ready to reveal just yet. Instead, she adjusted her body so that she stood sideways with her sword pointing slightly downwards; it was an excellent position from which to respond to or initiate a variety of attacks.

Anubis understood the meaning behind her movements and he smiled. He was looking forward to this.

The warlord struck first, which suited Selena just fine; it gave her ample time to react and adjust. Although she bore a sword, Anubis was no fool. The sheer length of her blade ensured that this battle would be fought at a distance. He threw the kusarigama at Selena, which she easily parried. Just as before on the volcano, the blunt end of his weapon followed the sickle, but Selena was prepared this time and easily stepped out of its way.

Anubis yanked it back and Selena spun, moving her blade in a small but controlled sideways arc. The sword not only deflected the metal ball, but cut it as well. Anubis pulled at it again and Selena let it sail past her and into its master's hands.

The demon saw the chip in his weapon and growled in anger. But Selena didn't give him time to think of another attack; she took several steps toward him and, sliding into a semi-crouch, deftly moved her sword upwards in a swift cut. Anubis stepped backwards and used his chain to protect his face, but her weapon only grazed the front of his armor.

The warlord knew that if he were to defeat Selena, he would have to draw her in to close combat. He frowned. That was a situation which he preferred to avoid since her weakness was also his own.

The moment she began to retreat he attacked. He loosed the blunt end of his weapon once more, this time aiming for Selena's legs. The metal ball and chain swooped in a low curve and before Selena could think to move, the ball knocked her off her feet. Moments later the chain wrapped around her lower legs.

Selena had only seconds to grudgingly admit that it was a clever move and then the deadly sharp edge of the demon's sickle was upon her. She grabbed her sword with both hands and thrust in front of her face, hoping that she was right in her estimate of where the weapon would land. She heard and felt it catch on the blade and threw it off. Without wasting any time Selena struggled into a sitting position (something that was incredibly difficult when she had a monstrous sword on her chest) only to fall back down when Anubis pulled at the chains on her legs.

Cursing and fighting back flashbacks of their earlier fight, she grabbed hold of her sword and used it to prop herself up. Anubis laughed.

"Where are your mighty powers, ronin?" he mocked and threw his chain at her again.

This time Selena had no doubt that he was aiming to capture her arms. If he did, that would be the end of this battle, and there was no way in hell that she was going to let that happen. Inspiration – or desperation – struck, and Selena followed her instincts. She put both hands around the hilt of her sword and held it high above her so that the blade was directly in the path of Anubis' oncoming attack. She waited until the chains were close enough and then, praying really hard that she wouldn't permanently injure herself, Selena brought her sword down in a determined cut.

There was an ugly clang as metal met metal – twice. Anubis's chains fell uselessly to the ground and seconds later so did those around her legs. For a moment, both warriors simply stared at the blade in the dirt between Selena's legs, stunned that she'd managed to cut through two of the warlord's enchanted chains in one clean cut. Then Selena was on her feet and galvanized by her recent success – and the demon's slow reaction – she lunged at him.

Anubis tried to step out of the way, but she was too close. Selena struck with one simple, but powerful upward cut. The tip of her sword caught under Anubis's kabuto – luckily for him the blade was facing the inside of his helmet and so it did not cut him – and the combined momentum and force of the sword pulled at the headpiece. The warlord's kabuto flew off his head and went clattering to the ground.

Selena stared at the warlord in shock. Whatever she had been expecting, this wasn't it.

Instead of tentacles or gnashing teeth, Selena found herself confronted with the face of a young man, possibly in his early twenties. Freed from the confinement of the helmet, long auburn hair spilled around his face and shoulders, but it was his eyes that gave her pause.

She had oodles of experience with demons. They were soulless creatures and even though they often could pass as human, the telltale sign was their eyes. Demons had dead eyes; Anubis's blue orbs were mercurial and very much alive – they reflected emotions that demons could never feel.

This close to Anubis, Selena was unprepared for what she saw in his gaze.

_He's human?_

Her reaction was physical, so deep was her shock. She took a step forward, jolted into action by the sudden electricity running through her veins. It was only his warning growl that reminded her that she still faced a very dangerous adversary, human or not.

Selena stepped back and allowed the warlord time to compose himself. As he had not attacked her when she was shaken by his earlier revelation of her power, she would not attack him now that she knew his weakness. She did, however use the time to gain extra insight into her opponent. It appeared that his armor had hidden more from the ronin than they'd thought. Selena felt her spirits rise. Now that she knew she was dealing with a mortal like herself, it evened the playing field a little. Plus, she knew his secret, just as he knew hers. It was an advantage that neither would give up lightly.

Too late Selena remembered how close she was to Anubis. The warlord swung his sickle at her. She quickly stepped aside, but the curved blade still managed to hit her left sode (shoulder armor).

"How long has Talpa controlled you?" She asked the question lightly, but there was strength behind her voice. She was trying to goad the warlord, but she was also curious.

It appeared that his vulnerability only served to fuel his anger, for the warlord attacked her relentlessly. Neither of them was well suited to close combat, but with his weapon severed, Anubis had the upper hand. It was all Selena could do to hold on to her longsword. She tried to wield it horizontally in front of her upper torso and face, but Anubis simply changed the angle of his attacks so that they hit her side or legs. The odachi was too long and their bodies too close for Selena to gain the room to move her weapon in time to block the warlord's onslaught.

Finally her anger surfaced. While Anubis was focused on hitting her right side, Selena shifted her weight, tightened her grip on her odachi, and shoved the long end of the blade towards the warlord's face. Without his kabuto to protect him, he was vulnerable. Anubis noticed the blade too late and her sword hit true. Selena's blade sliced his right cheek, and in so doing drew first blood.

Anubis stumbled back and Selena gladly added to the distance between them. He pressed his hand to his cheek, eyes wide with disbelief and anger. Selena, whose side burned from an earlier strike from his sickle, yelled at him.

"Tell me Anubis, how have you managed to survive the Netherrealm? I thought humans were too weak to stand it."

It was a deliberate reference to his wound, as well as a blow to his pride.

Without waiting for a reply, Selena hefted her sword and lunged at the warlord. Instead of stepping out of the path of the blade, as she expected, Anubis actually stepped closer to her. At the last possible second he moved his body so that the deadly blade swept harmlessly past him. Then he struck with his weapon. Selena stepped back to give herself room and brought up her blade to block the attack. The sickle slammed onto her blade and amazingly, Anubis closed the distance between them again.

Anubis sneered at her and pushed against her blade. "You don't know of what you speak, girl."

Selena purposefully locked her gaze with his. "You had a life before Talpa found you."

Anubis faltered. Selena took advantage of his momentary weakness and _pushed_. At the same time she kneed him in the gut. Anubis stumbled but quickly regained his balance. He lifted both ends of his broken kusarigama, twirled them expertly, and threw them viciously at Selena.

Selena simply crouched low, ducked and threw her body to the side at the same time that she lunged. She held her sword waist-high, made a wide curve, and struck Anubis in the side. Then just as quickly she withdrew and hit again with a curved upper cut from his right waist to his left shoulder.

Anubis screamed and fell. Selena used the tip of her sword to toss both ends of the kusarigama out of his reach. She approached the fallen warlord slowly, her sword pointed down but at the ready.

The warlord lay on the ground. His face was twisted in pain and loathing, which Selena noticed with a start was not directed at her. He looked at her from where he lay, but did not say anything. She saw the blood on his cheek and the anger in his gaze and a sudden thought jarred her.

_He's human_, she thought. _Like me._

"Who are you?" She didn't even realize that she'd spoken the words aloud until he was yelling at her.

"I am the Warlord of Cruelty, leader of the four dark warlords! Kill me now and claim your revenge, girl!" Anubis spat at her and grimaced as the pain in his side flared.

Selena looked at the man on the ground, her gaze taking in his sprawled and dispirited form. She made a decision. "You are injured and unarmed. There would be no honor in defeating you now."

The warlord's eyes widened in surprise.

"Go," Selena ordered. To emphasize her point, she threw her sword away from her. It landed on the ground several feet from them with a distant thud.

Confusion darted across Anubis's face, but Selena made no move to advance. He stared at her for several seconds and then a colored orb surrounded him, and he was gone.

Selena sighed and her armor faded, leaving her in her usual jeans and jacket. She gazed at the spot where Anubis had been and prayed that she hadn't just made a fatal mistake.

XX

Anubis collapsed against the hard black floor of one of Talpa's many rooms and slammed his fist against the cold ground.

_Fool!_ He thought viciously. _You have been such a fool!_

He couldn't believe that he'd lost to the girl. He'd had everything planned; but he hadn't expected her to retrieve her stolen power! He beat the floor again and cursed himself. _That_ had been his fatal mistake, for when she used that power … Anubis shuddered in remembrance.

And she'd been able to successfully strike him without using her ultimate attack, a feat that none of the other ronin had yet to accomplish. It was humiliating. It was maddening.

Three drops of blood splattered onto the floor next to his hand, catching his attention. Anubis reached up and gingerly touched the wound on the side of his face. He withdrew his hand and stared at his red-stained fingers.

_Human …_

That thought triggered a memory, and her earlier words to him rose unbidden in his mind.

_**You had a life before Talpa found you …**_

Anubis shook his head in denial. Impossible. He had always served Master Talpa, who graciously bestowed his power upon his loyal servants, and him most of all.

Anubis narrowed his eyes and clenched his blood stained fingers into a fist. She was a powerful little witch, that one. She was trying to trick him into doubting his master.

He stood and turned to leave the dark room, but despite his resolve he hesitated and a part of his mind wondered –

_What if she was right?_

XX

By the time Selena reached the ronin's camp, she had made her decision. She wasn't going to tell them about Anubis being human. There really wasn't any way for her to explain how she'd discovered it, and although he'd demanded no oath, she felt honor bound not to reveal his secret. She sighed. This was just one more thing that she'd have to keep from her friends, hopefully for their own good.

Ryo's voice interrupted her thoughts. "There you are! Did you find the shrine? You were gone a long time."

"Yeah," Cye said, smiling. "We almost had to send a search party after you!"

Selena blinked and tried to focus on the men speaking to her. "Sorry about that, I got distracted."

"Distracted?" Ryo asked, curious and somewhat alarmed. "By what?"

Selena shook her head and forced herself to smile. "It doesn't matter. So," she said, clapping her hands and sitting by the fire next to Yuli, "what's for dinner?"

* * *

**Notes:**

An _odachi_ is a type of long Japanese sword that is over a foot in length. Most odachi are between 65 and 70 inches (165 to 178 centimeters) long. They are longer than katana, heavy, and often have religious inscriptions on the tang. Because of their length, they are very difficult swords to master, but once mastered are very effective on the battlefield. The extended reach of the odachi made them valuable weapons from horseback or at a distance from an opponent. Samurai wielded odachi during the Edo period (1608 – 1868). You can watch a video of men dueling with odachi at http:/www . youtube . com/watch?v=XsfNuzJYBng (remove spaces).

_Nin _means 'duty.' Selena's virtue is duty and her armor's element is Spirit, from which the Armor of Fervor is named. Fervor means passion and in this case refers to the passion inherent in the human spirit. I think it matches Selena's fiery personality pretty well, and it has the added bonus of being in the first line of the Legend: _Torch of Spirit, sought through five._ Get it? The Armor of Fervor was referred to in the Legend _and_ so was its location – it was with the five ronin armors _the entire time_. So we shouldn't be surprised that Anubis figured it out, but that no one else has.

The symbol for the Armor of Fervor is a stylized triskele. Although a triskele has no single meaning, it is recognized as a symbol of the sun, reincarnation, and eternity. These associations are therefore well connected with the armor's golden color and its element of Spirit. To see the image that inspired Fervor's symbol, go to http:/en . wikipedia . org/wiki/File:Celtic_Bronze_Disc,_Longban_Island,_Derry . jpg (remove spaces). The circle in the center is the symbol I described.


	7. Friend or Foe?

Thanks for the reviews! You guys are awesome!

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Six**_

The castle was cold and dark, and Cale gratefully sought solace in its shadows. He leaned heavily against a wooden wall and clutched at a wound in his side that Hardrock's accidental attack had caused. He had to report to Talpa soon, he knew, but for now Cale gathered his thoughts as he tried to determine how he would explain his defeat to his master. But Cale was not alone; Anubis was waiting for him.

"So the mighty warrior returns."

Anubis smirked. Even through the gloom he knew that Cale had been beaten; the pompous fool wouldn't be skulking in the castle otherwise. After the warlord's boasting, it felt good to throw the man's words back at him.

"Hardrock handled you easily enough. Perhaps you're not as strong as you think."

Angered, Cale pushed himself off of the wall and faced Anubis. "This, coming from someone who couldn't defeat a helpless mortal girl!"

That girl, Anubis thought, wasn't quite as helpless as she appeared; the barely healed cut on his cheek attested to that.

"You are weak. Look at yourself, you're practically helpless!" Anubis was disgusted. He had discovered and fought a fierce enemy; Cale had barely engaged the ronin in battle and he was already wounded! _This_ was the one who sought to replace him at Talpa's side?

Cale sneered at his superior. "I am not weak."

"Then prove it. Make the ronin fear us."

They were interrupted by a summons. It ripped through them simultaneously, and its fierceness startled the warlords. Anubis was loath to answer it, but the summons could not be ignored; it was like a jagged hook tugging on his soul. He sent his subordinate a dark look. "We will finish this later." Cale glowered but acquiesced, and the two men disappeared.

They materialized in the throne room, where Sekhmet and Dais were already waiting. The two warlords positioned themselves and bowed in preparation for their master's arrival. They didn't have to wait long. Talpa appeared before them and gazed down at his warlords. Instead of asking for a report like he usually did, the demon emperor was silent.

The silence stretched and the warlords felt their backs ache from remaining in their subservient position. More than the pain, they were nervous; what was their master thinking?

Anubis was worried. Did Talpa know that he'd defied his orders and left the castle grounds? Did he know of his battle with Selena, and the woman's identity as a ronin?

_Does he know what she said to me?_

Impossible. He had timed his attack during Cale's retrieval of Hardrock, when Talpa and the other warlords were sure to be preoccupied with the ongoing mission. It was unlikely that Talpa knew about Selena, and yet Anubis found himself hesitant to say anything. Was it because he risked Talpa's wrath by revealing that he'd disobeyed the emperor? He didn't think so. Despite the girl's aggravating tendency to get in his way and prevent the dynasty from destroying the ronin, she was a courageous and gifted warrior. She'd proved to be a more than worthy opponent. But why was she hiding? The ronin – and the dynasty, for that matter – could use her strength.

Finally Talpa spoke. Anubis filed his thoughts away for later review and focused on his master's voice.

"Four of the five ronin warriors have been revived. Their power is growing by the day. How do you explain this?"

Talpa spoke benignly, and it was this alone that gave Anubis reason for alarm. His master's apparent lack of anger indicated to the warlord that beneath his placid façade, Talpa was seething. For his own sake Anubis hoped that Talpa knew nothing of his battle with Selena; he was glad that his long hair hid the small cut on his cheek, the only visible evidence of his encounter with the girl.

Dais, who either didn't realize how close to the edge their master was, or was simply foolish, tried to lay the blame on his companions.

"This is the fault of Anubis, Sekhmet, and Cale. They were weak and failed the dynasty."

At this Anubis straightened and turned to his mouthy soldier. Even though he risked further displeasure from his master, he refused to allow his still inexperienced subordinate to speak so disrespectfully.

"Mind your tongue, Dais! You have yet to fight the ronin. We have; you would do well to listen to us."

Sekhmet joined with his commander in reprimanding Dais. "We failed because we underestimated their power." He turned back to Talpa and bowed. "From our battles I have seen their weak points; I know how to destroy them for good."

Dais laughed. "The ronin are nothing without their final member. Without Strata they'll be crushed."

"Careful, Dais or your overconfidence will destroy you," Anubis warned.

Talpa's eyes flashed a fiery red as his temper flared. "Enough!" he bellowed and the warlords immediately fell into bows. Anubis frowned. Apparently his reprimands had sent their master over the edge.

"The ronin threaten the dynasty, and all you can do is argue! Perhaps I have chosen poorly, if none of my dark warlords can defeat these children."

Cale and Dais stepped forward at the same time, but Cale beat the other and spoke first. "Master, I have a plan that will put fear into the ronins' hearts." He pretended not to notice Anubis' keen gaze as the warlord redirected his attention from Talpa to Cale.

Talpa considered the Warlord of Corruption. "Tell me, Cale, why should I let you face the ronin when you had such difficulty destroying Hardrock?"

Cale heard Dais laugh behind him and he struggled not to let his anger show. "I find that darkness is the best way to release nightmares – " he looked at Dais " – and illusions." Dais' eyes lit up as he began to understand what the other warlord was saying.

"You propose a dual attack," Talpa stated. He paused, considering the plan. "I approve. Perhaps two of you can more effectively destroy the ronin than one. But," he said to Cale, his voice threatening, "this is your last chance. Do not fail me."

Cale and Dais bowed. "My lord."

"But master," Anubis said, confused, "even if we manage to destroy the ronin, we have no way of finding Strata."

"Doubt will be your downfall, Anubis. Yes, Strata is still a threat to me. But there is always a way to your enemy. You will see."

XX

After breakfast the next morning Selena went for a walk by the harbor shore to think about her encounter with Anubis. The cool morning air was damp and clung to her skin and clothes as she gazed at the calm water. Selena sighed and absently kicked a pebble with her foot. It fell into the water with a soft 'plunk.'

She didn't believe that Anubis had told Talpa about her, since no warlords had shown up yesterday to challenge her, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't reveal her identity in the future.

"Well, there's nothing I can do about that," she said to herself. "If I didn't want Anubis to know, then I wouldn't have transformed." She pulled her powerball from her pocket and studied it as she held it between her fingers. It gleamed in the light from the rising sun and as she looked at it sudden realization blossomed in her mind. "He pick pocketed me," Selena murmured, turning the smooth ball over in her hand.

She remembered it now. She had been so startled at the time that she hadn't noticed his hand slip into her pocket right before he pulled her off the shrine floor.

"But how did he know?" her brow furrowed as she thought. She'd interacted with Anubis more than any other warlord, and admittedly her willingness to fight him was unusual, but it shouldn't have been enough to tip him off. To have him intrigued with her was one thing; that he'd picked up enough to know that there was something more to her was something else entirely.

"Damn," she softly swore, clenching her hand around her powerball. Now that Anubis knew who she was, it placed her entire mission in jeopardy.

The gentle clang of metal echoed down the shore and soft footfalls drew Selena's attention away from her morose thoughts. A range of emotions swept through her as she caught sight of the approaching figure. Her body tensed, relaxed, and then veered into shock as adrenaline pumped through her veins.

"Master?" Selena gasped, disbelieving.

The figure said nothing and kept walking until he was in front of Selena. He was dressed in the blue and white robes of a Buddhist monk, and held the golden shakujo that had twice saved her firmly in his grip. Long silvery white hair fell freely on his shoulders, giving him the appearance of frailty, but Selena knew better. This man was far more agile and strong than she ever would be. A straw hat kept his face hidden. It was a tactic to obscure his eyes, which were the only visible evidence of his immortality. This man was known by many names: Kaos, the Ancient One, Bousan. To Selena he was sensei, her master.

Selena dipped into a low bow and then straightened. The Ancient spoke.

"It has been a while, Selena. You have done well."

Selena felt that she did not deserve her master's praise. "I have been rash," she stated, clearly indicating that she did not believe the Ancient's words.

The Ancient looked at her keenly. "Without your actions, Ryo of the Wildfire would be dead, and the other ronin would be in the hands of the dynasty. That is nothing to be ashamed of."

Selena was surprised. Is that what would have happened if she hadn't interfered? She wasn't sure, despite her trust in her master. Even with this new knowledge, she couldn't help but be angry with herself.

"I have failed," she told the Ancient. "Anubis saw me transform."

The Ancient saw her disappointment in her eyes and bearing, and laid a hand on her shoulder to comfort his student. His gentle voice was soothing, and carried promises of a brighter future not yet born.

"Do not despair. Talpa does not know, and that is key. Good may yet come of this."

Selena smiled, and thanked her master. Then suddenly, inexplicably, she blurted out, "He is human."

The Ancient didn't need to ask who she meant by 'he.' The man smiled. "Then he has a human heart."

Selena stared at her master in confusion, but he only gazed calmly back at her, his eyes shining with hidden secrets. Her eyes narrowed in contemplation. She knew that her master had the gift of foresight, and Selena found herself wondering, _What has he seen?_

She knew better than to ask and the Ancient did not elaborate. Instead he abruptly changed the subject, his voice urgent.

"I have come to warn you. Talpa is planning to destroy Rowen of the Strata. He must be stopped."

Her whirling thoughts vanished as her attention centered itself entirely on her master's words. "Destroy Rowen? How will he do this; we don't even know where Rowen is."

The Ancient didn't reply directly, as was his wont. "Return to Tokyo. That is where Talpa will make his move."

Selena nodded, even though she still had questions to ask her master. "I understand."

The Ancient looked his student over once more. "Trying times are ahead, Selena. You will doubt, but do not give in. Only then will you persevere."

Selena absorbed his words quietly and nodded her understanding. The Ancient turned away and he disappeared. Selena was alone on the shore once more. She let out a shuddering breath, turned, and headed back down the shoreline, her walk determined. It was time to gather the ronin.

XX

Sometime during her walk Mia had arrived with Sage and Kento. Selena greeted them as she came back to the camp, and the group, who was gathered around the still smoldering fire, issued their various salutations in return.

"I see that you were successful in getting the fourth member of the team," Selena said as she sat down on a log next to Cye.

Sage nodded. "Yeah, but it wasn't easy. That warlord Cale showed up and almost killed Kento with his sword."

"What?" Kento spit out his drink, his eyes wide. "You didn't tell me that!" He gave Sage an accusatory look.

"Yes," Mia said. "And he threw me off a cliff and encased me in ice."

"He only did that because you challenged him." Sage glanced at Selena. "I think you've been taking lessons from Selena."

Selena chose to ignore the comment and redirected the conversation back to the battle with Cale. "You say that Cale almost killed Kento? How did he manage that?"

Sage leaned back against a tree and explained. "Kento was inside a boulder and Cale shoved his sword in it. The sword could move on its own, and he said that the blade would find Kento's heart and kill him."

Kento looked pale. "Man, I did not need to know that."

Ryo glanced at Kento, and then returned his attention to Sage. "How did you stop him?"

"With my thunderbolt cut. It split the rock open and Kento woke up."

"Yeah, and then I creamed the guy!" Kento slammed a fist against his open palm and made a grinding motion.

"Wow," Cye said. "It sounds like you guys have been through a lot."

"No more than you, probably." Sage pointedly looked at the other recently revived warrior. "What happened while we were gone?"

"Wait." Ryo interrupted Cye and turned to Kento. "Don't we need to fill you in on what's been going on?"

"Nah," the young man waved Ryo off. "Mia already did that on the drive here. You were in a volcano, Sage a cave, and Cye in that water over there. What else is there to know?"

"For starters, Sekhmet attacked me while I was in stasis under water."

"He nearly beat us both, but we combined our attacks and got rid of him." This came from Ryo.

Sage murmured, "That explains the bridge," while Mia said, "And your powers have increased. The elements in the places where you were held reacted with your armors to make them stronger."

"I noticed that," Kento said. "I barely had to snap my fingers and BAM! Cale was toast." He illustrated the warlord's defeat by mimicking an explosion with his hands.

"You _have_ grown stronger, but you will not be able to defeat Talpa without Rowen."

Almost as one, the ronin, Mia, and Yuli turned their attention to Selena. Seeing that she had their interest, she continued. "Your armors are connected to each other. Once they are together, they are invincible. You cannot hope to defeat Talpa before then, which is why it is critical that we find Rowen as soon as possible."

Sage looked at Selena keenly. "And you figured this out on your own?"

She shot him a slightly ugly look. "I put it together through my research, yes."

Kento stopped Sage from questioning Selena further. "Great!" he crowed. "Once we get Rowen we'll be together. Then we can beat Talpa!"

"Yes, but we have to find Rowen first," Cye reminded his enthusiastic friend.

"Any idea of where to start looking?" Ryo asked. This time the group looked at Mia, who was startled at the attention. Her eyes sought Selena, who smiled gently at the other woman in encouragement. Mia returned her smile, thought a moment, and then spoke.

"The Legend says, 'Floating amongst the eyes of ages, unmoored in the stream of the sky.'"

"The Strata armor's element is air," Selena offered.

"Air?" Kento blurted. "You mean Rowen is in this stuff?" He waved his arms around his body in big circles.

"No," Mia said, thinking hard. "The Legend doesn't mention air, just the sky."

"But the sky is made of air," Yuli said, finally feeling brave enough to speak up.

Ryo smiled at the boy. "Yuli's right; maybe Rowen is in the sky."

"But where?" Cye asked. "The sky is awfully big."

Sage shook his head. "It's not just the sky. The first part of the Legend said 'floating amongst the eyes of ages.' That's our clue."

"What could that mean?" Cye asked, but Sage only shrugged.

Selena remained silent, her brow furrowed as she thought. "Eyes … sky …" she murmured. Louder, so everyone could hear her, she asked, "Hey, what can see the sky?"

Kento looked up. "I can," he offered. Selena shook her head. "No, I mean, what gazes down at the sky?"

"Gazes down at the sky …" She could see the group's minds working as they thought. Suddenly Ryo cried out: "Stars! Stars gaze down at the sky!"

Selena frowned and then her face broke out in a wide grin. Slowly it dawned on Mia and Cye; she saw their eyes light up in understanding. Kento and Yuli still stared at Ryo blankly. Sage scoffed. "Are you saying that Rowen is in space?"

Kento exclaimed, "Space? How'd he get up there?" and Mia nodded her head vigorously. "That's it! 'Unmoored in the stream of the sky.' Rowen is in space!"

"Well," Sage said, "you can bet if we know where Rowen is, so does Talpa."

Selena glanced at the ronin, surprised at his prescience. He had no idea how right he was. Kento just laughed. "Well then he's no worse off than we are!"

"Don't say that!" Ryo reprimanded his companion. "Never underestimate Talpa!"

Selena smiled to herself; it appeared that Ryo had finally begun to understand just how precarious their situation was. The four ronin were formidable, but not unbeatable. And in the meantime the dynasty continued to work toward their destruction.

"Ryo's right," Selena said. "If we want to help Rowen, we need to go back to Tokyo."

Ryo looked at her, intrigued. "Why do you say that?"

"The city is where he appeared; it's where Talpa is strongest. If he's going to make a move, that's where we need to be."

"You think that Talpa's going after Rowen?"

Selena nodded, her expression grim. "Definitely. Every time we found a ronin, a warlord was waiting for us. I wouldn't be surprised if Talpa already has a plan to locate and destroy Rowen."

The group fell silent as the full impact of the solemn situation hit them. Ryo squeezed his hands in frustration. They _had_ to find Rowen! He stood up and looked at the unsmiling faces around him; all had various expressions of surprise and curiosity as they followed his movements.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

As the group quickly packed up their campsite, Ryo unsuccessfully searched the mid-morning sky for his friend.

_Hold on, buddy; we're coming!_

XX

Several hours later the group entered Tokyo's outer boundaries. It was a tight fit in Mia's car, but with White Blaze running beside the vehicle they all managed to find a seat. Mia drove, Selena shared the back with Yuli, and the ronin filled the rest of the available spaces.

The ronin were discussing possible ways to get to Rowen, to which Selena only half-listened. Instead she occupied herself by teaching Yuli how to tie knots in rope. She held up a piece of rope from her bag. "This is called a bowline knot. It's good for holding heavy loads, and you can even tie it with one hand. The only problem is that it can't be tied or untied if there is weight at the other end of the rope."

"Cool!" Yuli said and scooted closer to Selena. "Can you show me how to tie it?"

"Sure." She held the rope so that the boy could see her hand movements. "You first create a small loop in the rope, then take the free end and put it through the hole. Pull the free end under the long part, pull it up and over, place the end of the rope through the small hole, and you're done!"

"Let me try!" Selena undid the knot and handed the rope to Yuli. She watched as he tried to make the knot, and after a few corrections, the boy held a decent bowline knot in his hands. Selena made him retie the knot a few more times so the boy would know how to do it correctly. Yuli held up his knot triumphantly. He beamed.

"Hey, Ryo, look what I – "

He was cut off as something hard hit the car and Mia slammed on the brakes. "Is everyone okay?" she asked as Kento shouted, "What was that?" Ryo got out of the car to check on the vehicle and the rest of its occupants followed suit.

They checked the car but found no sign of any damage. Ryo patted White Blaze on the head as the tiger ran up next to him. "I don't see anything," Cye announced as he scanned the surrounding area.

"I don't like this." Sage spoke what everyone was thinking. The sky overhead darkened, increasing the group's unease. Black clouds gathered and blocked out the sunlight, looking like heralds of a rainstorm. But unlike a rainstorm, the temperature never dropped; it remained as warm as if the clouds weren't there. It was decidedly odd, and Selena wondered if anyone else had noticed the discrepancy.

Apparently Ryo had because he ordered White Blaze to protect Mia, Selena, and Yuli. No sooner had the tiger bounded over to the trio than cold laughter rang around them. Selena had only a moment to think, _Not good_ before she was plunged into a living nightmare.

A land of terror erupted around Selena. Her companions, White Blaze, and the ronin disappeared and were replaced by a desolate wasteland covered in angry, jagged fissures that shot molten lava from their depths. A black sky was clogged with ash and the smell of decay. Where was she? It looked like Hell.

The ground shook once and a few seconds later it happened again. Slowly Selena realized that they weren't small earthquakes, but footsteps. She turned around and her heart lodged in her throat at the sight before her.

A ferocious demon stood not ten feet away from her. His armor was black, with deadly shoulder and knee guards that twisted with sharp, jagged edges. His hands were razor-sharp claws that were covered by kote (sleeve armor) that split into three vicious points, beneath which burned an unpleasant inferno. They matched the gashes in the demon's kabuto, atop of which sat two twisted crests that looked more like horns. A black robe completed his armor, its tattered ends whipping the demon's legs in a malicious wind that touched only him; powered by the darkness within.

What was most terrifying were his eyes: they blazed with fire and a deep seated malice. He moved forward and the ground cracked and hissed at his feet. In his hand the demon held a wicked chain that crackled and flared with a searing heat. At its end was a severe-looking sickle, its sharp blade shining cruelly in the light from the demon's black inferno. Through her terror, Selena gasped and felt her body grow numb. This was no demon. It was, she realized with a horrific clarity, Anubis.

He was more powerful than she'd ever seen him; she could feel the power radiating off of him as clearly as she felt the searing heat of the flames that leapt from his arms and chest. Selena fumbled for her powerball, unconsciously taking several steps away from the creature before her. She grasped her powerball, but nothing happened.

_What?_

She tried again but she remained as she was – not even her subarmor appeared. She couldn't transform! Selena felt herself begin to panic. She turned to run, but Anubis just appeared before her. She veered suddenly to avoid running into him and came to a sudden stop, her heart thudding in her chest. Anubis stood before her, his dark gaze surveying her startled form as a predator would its prey. How did he do that? He never was this fast before.

Selena backed away, and it unnerved her that his eyes never left her. Something hard bumped into her from behind. She turned around and gasped. Sekhmet stood unyielding, and his hardened gaze held no pity for the woman before him. Selena whipped back around to face Anubis, and a mute terror filled her as the warlords Cale and Dais closed in on her left and right, cutting off her escape.

Selena swallowed hard. She was trapped.

Suddenly the landscape changed. The warlords disappeared. A desperate cry was torn from her lips when the ronin appeared around her, beaten beyond recognition. They were dead.

"NO!" she cried and fell to her knees. She covered her face with her hands and closed her eyes; she couldn't bear to look at her friends' mangled and lifeless bodies. Her mind reeled in shock and despair.

Oh, God. _This can't be real._ It was that fragile thought that prevented her from completely loosing control. Somehow, her master's words from earlier that day bubbled forth from the chaos of her mind.

_**You will doubt, but do not give in.**_

Doubt … Slowly Selena raised her head and looked at the scene around her. Ryo, Sage, Cye, and Kento all lay unmoving on the ground, their faces bloodied and armors shredded. It was horrific. Selena fought not to throw up.

_**Do not give in …**_

_No._ She was resolute._ I will not believe this. It is not real. It is __**not**__ real._

Selena's strength returned to her as she repeated these thoughts. She stood up and clenched her fists. "Go to hell, you bastards! And take your falsehoods with you!" she yelled to the dark sky.

The ronin disappeared and the bleak world quickly followed, replaced with towering buildings in a familiar city block. Selena blinked. An illusion? Her eyes narrowed. More like a nightmare. She turned and anger rushed through her as she saw that for the rest of the group, the horrors continued.

Mia and Yuli trembled and shook, waving away invisible threats, caught as they were in their own terrors. The ronin, she noticed with alarm, were engaged in a vicious battle with each other. Kento slammed his staff hard against Sage, who just barely managed a block with his sword. "Dais!" the two ronin yelled. Cye lunged at Sage, who turned and swiped at the ronin, yelling, "Take that, Cale!" as he did so.

Selena's mind whirled as she tried to understand what she was seeing. "They think they're fighting the warlords!" A hair-raising roar split the air and Selena turned. Apparently unaffected by the warlord's illusion, White Blaze leaped at Dais with his claws outstretched.

"No! Cye!" Ryo screamed. Obviously thinking that the warlord was his friend and the tiger his enemy, Ryo drew his swords and ran at the crouching tiger. Watching Ryo attack White Blaze was one of the most heartbreaking things Selena had ever seen.

She heard laughter from her right and whipped around to see the warlord Cale standing away from the battle. He was clearly enjoying the sight of the ronin senselessly pummeling each other. She was surprised. There were two warlords controlling this farce of a battle? Selena clenched her fists, anger overtaking her surprise. If this didn't stop soon, the ronin were going to do the dynasty's work for them. Then nothing would stop Talpa from taking the armors.

The image of the ronins' lifeless bodies passed through her mind, and Selena roughly shoved it away. _No._ That would not happen; she wouldn't let it. Her decision made, Selena ran at Dais and hit him from behind. The warlord's laughter ceased as he stumbled forward. He turned around and his eyes widened when he saw Selena standing and ready for a fight.

"You broke through Dais' illusion?" He sounded surprised, and then he chuckled darkly. "It doesn't matter; your friends will never find their way out of the darkness." He turned away, dismissing Selena completely.

Selena glared at the warlord's retreating back in irritation, and yelled to him, "What's the matter, Cale? Don't want to get your hands dirty?"

The warlord ignored her and Selena, desperate to distract him from the ronin, caught sight of a broken piece of concrete on the ground. She picked it up and threw it at the warlord's head. It was childish, she knew, but it had the desired effect: the warlord stopped and faced Selena. He was irritated.

"Do you have a death wish, girl? I could easily crush you."

"Then why don't you?" she boldly shot back.

Cale slowly withdrew his sword and held it before him. "Do you see this sword? It can make its way through stone thicker than these buildings you mortals are so proud of, and cut through armor like water." He grinned darkly at Selena, who wavered slightly under the malevolence in his eyes. "With this sword I can carve out your heart."

Selena swallowed hard and tried her best to not let her nerves show; she was unarmed, after all. "But can you fight?" It was a clear challenge.

Cale smiled. "You shall see." He lunged at her and Selena quickly sidestepped the attack. But she wasn't fast enough; the tip of his sword tore through the bottom of her jacket. Cale turned and Selena dropped to the ground. She felt the wind generated by the blade's quick movement brush against her cheek as the sword passed over her head. Selena scrambled to her feet and not for the first time cursed her mission. If only she could transform! Cale pulled back and Selena briefly wondered why until Dais came to stand beside him.

_Oh, crap._

The Warlord of Illusion looked her over with barely concealed disdain. "What's the matter, Cale? Having some trouble with this girl?"

"Be quiet, Dais. This isn't your concern."

"Isn't it?" Dais haughtily replied. At a glare from his fellow warlord, Dais shrugged and gestured to Selena. "Get it over with, then. We have more important things to attend to."

Cale stepped forward, Selena prepared to fight, and something landed between the two warriors. For a moment the three of them just stared at the object, a golden staff that was wedged into the ground. Then it exploded in a brilliant white light.

The light absorbed Selena and the warlords, and then it expanded until it covered the entire city block. The sounds of battle abruptly ceased and Dais screamed, "My illusion!" before he and Cale were swept up in the fury of the staff's power. When the light faded, the warlords were gone.

"What? Sage?" Kento blinked in confusion at his staff, which was frozen inches away from Halo's face. He stared, shocked, into the face of his equally surprised friend.

Nearby Cye and Ryo were undergoing a similar experience; Ryo had his katanas poised half-way through his sure kill while the end of Cye's trident still glowed from the beginnings of his attack. The two ronin blinked in confusion and quickly lowered their weapons.

"What happened?" Ryo asked. "I thought you were Dais."

"What?" Cye burst out, perplexed. "I thought _you_ were Dais."

"It was a trick," Sage said. Ryo and Cye turned to him. "How do you know that?"

"Because I thought Kento was Dais, too."

Kento was still confused. "But I was fighting Cale, not Dais."

"None of you fought a warlord. It was all an illusion"

The ronin looked at Selena in surprise. She anticipated their question before they asked it. "Dais placed us all under an illusion. Or in my case, a nightmare."

"Me, too." Selena turned when she caught the tremor in the other woman's voice. Mia walked up to the group, and Selena noted that she was trembling slightly. The ronin were smart enough not to ask what her nightmare had been about.

A small cry turned the group's attention elsewhere. Yuli was hugging White Blaze, who lay panting on the ground. His hind leg was injured.

"What happened to him?" Ryo demanded as he kneeled next to the tiger.

Selena didn't want to tell him, but she didn't see any way around it. "You attacked him."

"What?" Ryo looked at her sharply, daring her to continue.

"It's true; he was trying to go after Dais, whom you thought was a ronin. So you attacked him."

Ryo and the other ronin went rigid with shock; he had attacked White Blaze and defended a warlord! Until today no one had thought that was possible.

"Oh man, White Blaze. I am so sorry." Ryo buried his face in his friend's fur and the tiger licked him to show his forgiveness.

"Wait," Cye said, turning to Selena. "How did you know that Ryo hurt White Blaze?"

"I saw it happen."

"Me, too," Yuli piped up from his place next to White Blaze. "I thought I was still in the nightmare; I didn't know it was real. I wish it wasn't." He hugged White Blaze again, who shuffled, uncomfortable with all the attention.

Sage crossed his arms over his chest, his face solemn. "So Dais had us fighting each other, and we didn't even know it."

"That is not good."

"No," Ryo agreed, stroking White Blaze. "If it wasn't for that light, the dynasty would have won this battle."

"That light!" Mia exclaimed. "It was the same as from before, when Anubis tried to grab me! Whoever caused it then must have protected us again."

"We got lucky. We can't keep relying on some staff to save us."

"Sage is right. Without Rowen, we're vulnerable; Dais proved that much."

"But we're still strong. Don't forget that," Ryo said, standing. "Let's get White Blaze into the car and get going. The sooner we find Rowen, the sooner we can beat Talpa."

XX

This time, Anubis didn't watch the battle; he was too agitated to observe his subordinates. He knew that Talpa would notice his absence, but for the moment he didn't care. For the first time he found himself questioning the dynasty's methods and it made him uneasy. Anubis didn't like being uneasy. He was used to being in control of himself and others, and so this new emotion was unwelcome.

When Cale had mentioned his plan to combine his powers of darkness with Dais' illusions to ensnare the ronin, he had been pleased that the warlord had taken his advice. At first. But the more he thought about it, the more underhanded he considered Cale's approach.

Anubis was torn; he wanted his subordinates to do well, for their success reflected on him as their leader. And he desperately wanted to crush the ronin; they threatened the dynasty and his master, and he would not allow them to succeed. Until now the warlords had faced the ronin in battle, like warriors should. But Cale's plan changed that. For once the warlords would face the ronin on a mental rather than physical plane. But was using an illusion to trick an enemy truly an honorable fight?

_**Only a coward would fight under such unequal terms.**_

He remembered Selena's words during their battle and Anubis slammed his fist against the wall in frustration.

_Damn that woman!_

Anubis shook his head. What was wrong with him? He had been taught that the ends always justified the means, and so the use of illusions was no different from a direct swordfight if the end was the same. Right?

_What is the right course of action?_

For the first time, Anubis didn't know. And that terrified him.

* * *

**Notes:**

_Bousan_ is a Japanese term for a Buddhist monk. Talpa refers to the Ancient as a monk, and I preferred the Japanese word to English.

Tokyo is an insanely large metropolis. In fact, its proper name _is _Tokyo Metropolis. There are several ways to define the area of Tokyo, but generally speaking, it consists of one prefecture, 23 special wards, 39 municipalities, and two island chains. What we usually consider Tokyo is actually Shinjuku City. Shinjuku City is one of Tokyo's 23 wards, and the city is the administrative center of the government of Tokyo. Coincidentally, the city has a school named Toyama High School.

For Mia, Selena, and Yuli, Dais' illusion made real their deepest fears. For Selena, her greatest fear is that Anubis will reveal her identity as a ronin. The nightmare exaggerated her fear by making Anubis a terrifying demon, taking away her ability to defend herself, and having the dynasty trap her. Once she believed this to be true, the nightmare changed to reveal her other fear: the destruction of the ronin, which she was helpless to stop. Like an actual nightmare, the illusion ended when she ceased to believe in its power.


	8. In the Sea of the Sky

Thanks for reading! - Relyan

* * *

_**Seven**_

With White Blaze in the car, what little space they'd had before quickly disappeared. Ryo had insisted on being with the tiger, and so Selena was in the passenger seat while Yuli sat squeezed between White Blaze's face and the side of the car. Like Ryo, the little boy refused to leave the tiger's side. Ryo was in the back trying, with much difficulty, to clean and wrap the tiger's wound. With limited space and the occasional bump in the road, it wasn't easy.

"Hey, Selena, are there any more bandages?" Ryo called from the back. Selena looked in the rearview mirror to see what he was holding and then dug through the bag at her feet.

"No. Why, are you out?"

"Yeah." Ryo looked up from behind the curve of White Blaze's back. "And I need more."

Mia glanced behind her. "Pit stop?" she asked.

"Better stop at the next place you can."

In a city as large as Tokyo, it didn't take long, especially since the entire place was deserted. Mia pulled up in front of a convenience store. The lights were off inside, which gave the place a slightly sinister appearance. Selena brushed off a sense of foreboding, and unbuckled her seat belt.

"I'll go," she said and made to open the door, but Ryo stopped her.

"Wait!" the ronin cried. "It could be a trap."

_Oh sure, _Selena thought, _when two warlords descend out of nowhere and play mind games with us, it's just another day, but walking into a convenience store is a trap._

She turned around and snorted. "I don't think that the dynasty would try to make its move in a convenience store."

Ryo refused to be persuaded. "Even so, one of us should go with you."

"I will," Sage immediately volunteered and got out of the car. Selena blinked, a little shocked and confused at the ronin's offered assistance. _I thought he didn't like me_. She mentally shrugged. "Okay." She got out of the car. "We'll be right back."

Kento leaned out the window and yelled to them, "Bring me a snack, would ya?"

The doors were unlocked and they walked inside. For a moment they just stood in the entrance to allow their eyes to adjust to the darkness, and then Selena moved. Sage followed behind her, alternately watching the shadows and her form, his gaze calculating. He didn't miss how she'd failed to let him enter the store first, or that she was practically ignoring him as she moved from aisle to aisle as she searched for bandages. She didn't want to talk, that much was obvious.

_Too bad_, Sage thought. He waited a few moments and then asked the question that had been bothering him since the warlords' last attack.

"How did you manage to break Dais' illusion when none of us could?"

Selena wasn't surprised that Sage had noticed that she was the only one to break the warlord's control over her mind; he was very observant. She'd expected some kind of interrogation when he volunteered to go with her into the store, but had hoped that he wouldn't say anything.

_So much for small hopes._ Selena kept her head down and pretended to be looking for a particular bandage brand. Her voice was subdued as she remembered that terrible vision.

"Because my nightmare was too horrible to be true."

It was obvious that Sage didn't fully trust her, because he refused to drop the subject even though it clearly bothered Selena. "What did you see?" he demanded, walking up to her.

Selena closed her eyes and sighed. For once she would tell him the truth. She opened her eyes and looked directly at the ronin, her brown eyes locking with his blue. "I saw you, Ryo, Cye, and Kento. You were beaten," Selena paused, and when she spoke again her voice was hollow. "You were dead."

Sage's eyes widened in shock, and he paled. _That's_ what she had seen? He hadn't thought …

"Your greatest fear is that the dynasty will defeat us?"

"One of them." Selena found the medical supplies and scanned the shelves for bandages and ointment.

Sage considered her revelation. "This battle won't be easy, especially since we don't know what the dynasty will do. But the dynasty will not win."

Selena wasn't sure whom he was trying to assure, himself or her. But she appreciated his effort and gave the ronin a smile. She turned back to the shelf and quickly scanned the back of a tube of ointment. Satisfied, she handed it to Sage, along with several cases of bandages.

"Come on," she said, clearly dropping the subject. "Let's get these things to Ryo. I'll grab something for the others."

Once outside Sage gave the medicine to Ryo, who finished cleaning White Blaze's wound, and Selena passed out snacks to the group, which they took gratefully. As she nibbled on the fruity cake in her hand, Selena surveyed the city with narrowed eyes. Sage had good reason to be concerned. The Ancient told her that Talpa was going to attack Rowen here. But when? And how?

XX

Dais and Cale bowed in humble submission before Talpa, who was seething with rage at their recent failure to defeat the ronin. Sekhmet and Anubis were in the room as well, but stood away from the two warlords in an effort to distance themselves from the objects of their master's displeasure.

Talpa wasted no time in berating his subordinates. "Dais' illusion was supposed to be invincible! Once again you have underestimated the ronin warriors."

Dais, heedless of the demon's rage, ventured to speak. "Master Talpa, I – "

But Talpa wasn't in the mood for excuses or apologies. "Silence!" he roared, and all the warlords flinched at their master's anger. "Since none of you have been able to defeat the ronin, I will take care of Strata myself."

This statement piqued the warlords' curiosity, but they dared not ask what their emperor had planned. The floor in front of them dissolved and was replaced by a dark miasma that gave off a soft green glow. The liquid bubbled and popped, gurgling as if alive. The warlords took an automatic step back. What was this?

In a slow, deep voice, Talpa began to speak. "I call upon the spirits of the Netherworld. Rise up now from your dark sleep, rise up now to serve your master!"

As he spoke the glow around the liquid intensified until the entire room was bathed in an eerie green light. The pit began to stir and the dark liquid twisted and twirled. Tendrils occasionally extended from the floor and waved in the air like flailing limbs before falling back into the pit. Watching the scene warily, Anubis belatedly realized that the emperor was invoking a spell.

Talpa continued to speak, his voice rising as the spell intensified. "Meld your powers of destruction to one omnipotent force of evil! Rise!"

Streams of dark liquid shot into the air and the warlords watched, stunned, as a dozen spheres rose from the pit and hovered above the liquid. Shadow-like figures sat inside, trapped, and as Talpa spoke their forms twisted and changed. The spheres disappeared and the warlords gasped as their gazes took in twelve faceless spirits, dressed like priests in tattered robes.

Talpa ignored the warlords and focused on the newly risen spirits. "Nether spirits, I have called upon you once again. Combine your powers of destruction and find your way to the sky. Search for your prey and do not return until your task is done. Destroy one of the five who stands in my way. Go now, forces of darkness! Find Rowen of the Strata!"

As he spoke the final word of his command, the spirits moved. They shot toward the sky and as they reached the roof, they disappeared. The warlords stared after them, not entirely sure what they had just witnessed. Anubis was the first to speak.

"Master Talpa, what can these spirits do that we cannot?"

The demon emperor looked down at his most highly regarded warlord. "They can harness the power of the Netherrealm, and turn it into one magnificent ball of energy and destruction. It will choke anything in its path; at its peak it will be strong enough to catapult into space, and destroy Strata. On this day the ronin warriors will come to their end."

Talpa laughed, but Anubis did not join him.

XX

Yuli saw the lights first. "What's that?" he asked, pointing.

The ronin, Mia, and Selena followed the boy's outstretched arm. It was easy to see what had grabbed his attention. A dozen bright lights streaked over the city toward the tallest building in the city center. They hit the building and the area was briefly illuminated.

Cye's eyes were narrowed. "I don't like the looks of that."

"Me, neither," Ryo agreed.

Mia gasped. "Look!" she cried. The building was slowly being covered by a strange red substance that pulsed with energy. Even from this distance the group could sense its dark power. Rather than be dazed by this, Kento was upbeat.

"So the dynasty finally decided to show up." He turned to his companions and grinned. "Let's teach them not to mess with the ronin warriors."

Sage tore his gaze away from the building long enough to shoot his friend an exasperated look. "We need a plan first."

"Plan? You're gonna waist time on a plan when the dynasty is right there? Come on! A surprise attack will knock them out."

"We don't even know what they're doing," Cye interjected.

"Who cares? Whatever they're up to, it's not good. And you can bet that it's meant for Rowen."

Surprisingly, Kento was right. Ryo nodded. "Okay. Kento and I will check it out; you and Cye stay and watch over Yuli, Mia, and Selena."

Sage immediately protested. "What? No way! Kento will lose his head!" Ryo cut him off, shaking his head. "We don't have time for this. That thing is powerful," Ryo said, pointing at the building, "and Kento is the strongest. Join us in 15 minutes if we're not back, but make sure that they are safe." Here Ryo indicated Mia, Selena, Yuli, and White Blaze.

Cye replied, "Okay, Ryo," and Sage nodded.

"All right! See you guys in fifteen!" Kento flashed the remaining members a cocky grin and sped after Ryo toward the red-covered building.

Selena, who had watched the exchange between the ronin with interest, shook her head after Kento's retreating form. "Always after a fight," she murmured, grinning.

Sage agreed. "Well, he's going to get one."

"And so are we," Cye announced and the group turned around. Coming up behind them and on both of their sides were dozens of dynasty soldiers, who effectively cut off their escape. Selena rolled her eyes as Mia and Yuli paled.

_How typical_, she thought.

Cye shot them a worried glance. "Stay behind us," he instructed. Mia, Selena, and Yuli moved closer to the ronin while White Blaze protected them from behind. The tiger was injured but it obviously wasn't enough to keep him away from this fight.

Without wasting any time, Sage and Cye summoned their armors. Selena covered her eyes with her arm to shield them from the dazzling blue and green light that suddenly flared around them, heralding the armors' arrival. Their transformation complete, the two ronin withdrew their weapons and quickly came up with a battle plan.

"We're going to fight them off," Sage said to the group huddled behind them. "Stay close to us, but if things get ugly get out of here."

"White Blaze?" Cye called and the tiger flicked his ears back toward the ronin, listening. "Stay with Mia and the others, no matter what. Got it?"

White Blaze roared his understanding, and the soldiers attacked. The ronin immediately went on the offense. Not willing to allow the soldiers to come any closer, they leveled their weapons and unleashed their powers.

"THUNDER BOLT CUT!"

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

The two attacks ripped through the soldiers at their front and sides. Selena didn't see the attacks directly, but she heard them; they, along with White Blaze's challenging roar, were thunderous, and it shook her to her core. Mia, who had yet to witness dual attacks from any of the ronin, was wide-eyed from shock, her hands over her ears in a futile attempt to block the noise.

The attacks took out most of the dynasty soldiers, but not all. There were still the soldiers from behind that White Blaze had charged, plus a few that had the presence of mind to move away from the ronins' assault to contend with.

The ronin occupied themselves with taking care of the remaining stragglers from their initial attack. Sage gutted one from hip to chest, swiftly removed his sword, turned and decapitated another while Cye bludgeoned a soldier with his trident.

While they were distracted, White Blaze fought the soldiers that had approached the group from the rear. He had already taken down three warriors and was working on a third, but the tiger's efforts were not enough to hold the soldiers back. Realizing that the ronin and the large animal were unable to fight them, the soldiers went after the unprotected trio.

Selena, however, was having none of it. She saw their advance, lunged outside of the ronins' protective circle, and grabbed two fallen dynasty spears. She threw one to Mia, who held the weapon uncertainly, and shouted at Yuli to stay back.

Noticing Mia's confused look, Selena gave her a crash course in self-defense. "Hold it lengthwise to block, and use the sharp and blunt ends to hurt them."

Mia nodded, her eyes determined, and she gripped the spear tight. Seconds later a soldier leapt over White Blaze, his sword drawn high. Selena crouched and pointed the spear tip at the soldier's ribcage. She moved and the spear went through the demon's gut. Pushing with all her might, Selena then flipped the soldier, and he went sailing over the group and landed beyond the ronin with a loud 'thump.'

That caught the ronins' attention. Sage and Cye quickly destroyed the remaining samurai and turned around. Their jaws dropped at the sight before them.

Mia slammed the blunt end of her spear against a soldier's face, Selena blocked a strike from another, White Blaze clamped his jaws on Mia's attacker and ripped the demon off of her, and Yuli screamed his encouragement.

Before his mind could fully comprehend what he was seeing, Sage ran to Selena's side and deftly kicked the soldier away from her. He quickly followed with a deadly slash through the demon's torso. The soldier's eyes dimmed and black dust whirled in the air as his spirit dissolved.

"Thanks," Selena said, pulling the spear back. Sage glanced at her, a frown on his face. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

Selena blinked, momentarily taken back, and then her eyes narrowed. "Hey, he attacked me! I was protecting myself!"

"Just be careful," the ronin said. Selena started to make a reply, but an ominous rumbling stole her attention. Sage and Cye quickly dispatched the remaining soldiers, and as the last samurai hit the ground the group turned their attention toward the roof of the red-covered building.

The ground shook and the building began to sway. Then, suddenly, an enormous sphere made of what looked like thick, bloody fibers emerged from the top of the building. The sphere pulsed with a sinister energy.

"What is that?" Yuli asked.

Selena stared in horror as the sphere continued to rise from the roof and actually flew into the sky. _That_ was what her master had warned her of.

_Talpa's sending that to space? I didn't think it was possible!_

Sage and Cye remained silent, their bodies tense with dread as they followed the sphere's ascent with their eyes.

"We've got to stop it!" Cye said. Somehow they instinctively knew that ball was headed for Rowen.

"You can't."

The group turned and saw Kento walking slowly away from the building, his eyes downcast.

"Kento! What happened?" Sage asked.

The ronin just shook his head. "I tried to stop him, but I couldn't." He looked up and his eyes were pleading, almost begging the group to believe him.

"What are you talking about?"

Yuli realized what the others had been reluctant to voice. "Where's Ryo?"

Kento didn't say anything, but his eyes flickered briefly to the sphere in the sky. Mia let out a horrified gasp. "Ryo's in that thing?" Her voice was filled with disbelief and the hope that she was wrong.

"Yeah," Kento nodded and as one the group swiftly looked at the rising sphere, various expressions of worry, fear, and amazement on their faces. Ignoring them, Kento continued.

"He said it was the only way to get to Rowen, so he just jumped and that ball swallowed him. He was gone before I could do anything."

Yuli blanched. "You mean Ryo's dead?"

Selena gasped. _No! He couldn't be! I would sense it!_

But try as she might, she couldn't feel Ryo's presence. Selena tried to quell her growing anxiety by relating her inability to sense Ryo to his great distance from them. After all, she couldn't sense Rowen, either. _Maybe that ball is interfering with the armor_. She desperately hoped that was the case.

Booming laughter interrupted her thoughts. Recognizing the sound, the group tensed and White Blaze growled. Talpa materialized before them, his large kabuto easily dwarfing the group. His voice was mocking.

"I admire your efforts to stand against me, no matter how futile they may be. I will be victorious! Call me master, or I will see you all destroyed!"

Cye scoffed at the demon's threats. "You, destroy us? Never!"

Sage agreed. "That's right. Once Ryo brings Rowen back, we'll finish you off!"

"You won't stand a chance, Talpa!" Kento yelled.

The demon only laughed. "You think you can defeat me? Your friend was foolish to throw himself into the matrix. It will destroy him, and he and Rowen of the Strata will be lost forever! You, ronin warriors, are doomed!"

Selena felt faint tendrils of hope spread within her. The fact that Talpa was so obviously happy was cause enough for alarm; his successful construction and launch of the sphere proved the demon's power. But that he was spending so much time distracting the ronin by gloating told her that Talpa wasn't entirely certain that his plan would work. After all, he never planned for a ronin to enter his sphere, and he just told the group that Ryo was alive! And if he was alive, then he was a threat to Talpa and the demon's plan to destroy Rowen. The situation was bad, but there was hope.

Talpa continued to gloat. "Worry not, ronin warriors. You too, will soon join in Ryo's fate. This will be the end of you and your hopeless rebellion." The demon's laughter echoed as he faded away, leaving the group to wonder about Ryo and Rowen.

Kento punched his fist in frustration. "We've got to help them!" The other ronin nodded in agreement, but before they took two steps forward dark lightning surrounded the small group, trapping them. Red lights appeared at various intervals around them, and when faded revealed dynasty warriors ready for battle.

Selena sighed. "Oh yay. More soldiers."

Sage caught her sarcasm and sent her a warning look. "Do not fight them." She returned his gaze. "As long as you keep them away from us," she said, reminding him of his failure to fully protect them in their last battle. Sage's eyes widened in surprise and then they relaxed. He nodded at her, and then turned back to the soldiers. The ronin spread out and formed a small circle around Selena, Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze.

Talpa's voice echoed overhead. "Fight bravely against my soldiers, ronin, for this is the day that you will fall prey to my power!"

For once Kento ignored the demon's words, hefted his staff and grinned at the soldiers facing him. "Whaddaya waiting for?" he asked a bit cheekily, and the battle began.

XX

Within the dynasty, Anubis watched as the ronin fought the dynasty's soldiers. He was moved by their demonstration; they were outnumbered, two of their brethren would soon be dead, and there was no way they could win, and yet they still fought.

_Amazing_, Anubis thought. _They fight when they have no hope of winning._ Despite himself, he felt his respect for them grow. _They truly are warriors._

"And what am I?"

He hadn't meant to say that out loud, and the words echoed around the empty room. It seemed to Anubis that they mocked him, demanding to know how he could call himself a warrior while he and the other warlords remained safe behind the castle walls, experiencing nothing of this battle but what their eyes beheld. It was wrong, he decided. Very wrong.

And then there was Ryo. Anubis itched to fight the boy. He had not fully repaid him for his actions on the volcano; that humiliation still burned. He wanted his revenge to take place face to face, on the battlefield. The boy's presence in the matrix threatened that wish.

"There would be no honor in such a victory," he said, unconsciously repeating the words that Selena had said to him during their last encounter. Anubis nodded, satisfied that he had come to the right conclusion. He would speak to Talpa about his concerns. He would understand.

When Anubis materialized in the throne room, he immediately called his master. Talpa appeared before his servant quickly, and Anubis was heartened by his master's attention to him. Talpa's voice was deceptively calm.

"Something troubles you, Anubis?"

Either Anubis did not hear the warning in the demon's voice, or he chose to ignore it, his faith in his master's respect for him overriding the warlord's usual clarity of perception. Anubis, eager to share his thoughts with his master, was more direct than usual.

"Master, I wish to fight Ryo myself in open combat."

But Talpa didn't understand his underling's desire. "Why do you wish this, Anubis? The ronin warriors are gathering strength to face us in an assault on the castle, but the power of my dark realm will soon destroy all of their resistance." The demon's voice became deadly calm. "Why does my plan disturb you?"

This time Anubis caught the warning in Talpa's words, but he was sure that Talpa would understand once he explained himself. He continued nevertheless. "Master, I mean no disrespect, but how can we say that we truly defeated the ronin warriors in open battle if we use the powers of the dark realm to crush them?" His surety that he was right in thinking this way increased as he spoke. "Conquest, a complete victory, sire, can only be achieved in a fair fight. It would mean nothing if it was not done in this way."

"Enough," Talpa commanded, and Anubis fell silent. "You are my right hand," the demon subtly reminded the warlord of his allegiance. "Besides, when has the dynasty asked for a fair fight?"

Anubis blanched and frowned, displeased. Talpa continued, reminding the warlord of the dynasty's power.

"Do not fail me. The dark realm will destroy every last ronin warrior. Victory will be ours!"

Anubis stepped forward, energized by his need to make his master see reason. "No, it will not be a victory. It will be meaningless unless we defeat them on the battlefield." Talpa was unmoved, and Anubis tried once more. "Sire, don't be a fool."

Talpa's eyes flashed red. "Silence!" he roared and hurtled his power at his subordinate warlord. "I will not listen!"

Anubis screamed as the dark energy enveloped him. He fought against it and looked up at his unrepentant master. "I speak the truth!" the warlord cried desperately, but Talpa was no longer in the mood to tolerate his traitorous words.

"Listen carefully, Anubis for you have fanned the embers of my contempt. When you joined me as one of my warlords you became mine to command. I will not permit you to disobey me. Get out of my sight!"

The dark power tightened around Anubis, who was brought to his knees at its strength. It raced through him and he disappeared from the room, his screams the only hint that the warlord was ever there.

XX

White Blaze tore viciously at a dark samurai's arm, pulling it back and forth until the appendage was ripped from its socket. The tiger pounced on top of the soldier, which toppled him. He hit the concrete ground hard and lay still. White Blaze stood on top of the soldier's body, roaring his triumph. It also served as a warning, which worked somewhat as a samurai hesitated in his approach. White Blaze caught sight of him, pulled his lips back to reveal his sharp teeth, and flew at this new enemy.

"Go White Blaze!" Yuli cheered while Mia prevented him from running after the tiger. Selena watched the battle closely, looking for rogue soldiers and weaknesses to exploit. But it was difficult to do; the soldiers had managed to spread the ronin out enough so that they were away from the small group White Blaze was protecting.

A bright flash brought her gaze heavenward. Next to her, Mia gasped and Yuli fell silent. In the sky the sphere was gone, replaced by an angry inferno that covered the clouds in brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold.

"Oh no. Ryo!" Mia whispered; her throat constricted in fear that they had just witnessed their friend's death.

Kento finished off a soldier with an easy swing of his staff and froze when he caught sight of the explosion. "Whoa. Ryo!" At their end, Sage and Cye risked taking their eyes off of their opponents to see what caused Kento's outburst. Their eyes widened in shock at the rapidly diminishing glow that marked the sphere's destruction.

"Is he alright?" Cye asked, knowing full well that no one could – or wanted – to answer.

"I hope so," Sage replied and then turned to block a blow by a dark samurai. They could do nothing to help Ryo, and so the ronin reluctantly returned to the battle at hand.

Selena balled her hands into fists and glared at the now normal sky. "No," she said, "Ryo is fine."

Mia turned to her, a look of curiosity on her face. "What makes you say that?"

"Because Talpa would have told us if Ryo was dead." She looked at the other woman, the gravity in her eyes belying the lightness of her words. "He gloats too much."

The frown on Mia's face told Selena that she didn't entirely believe her, and Selena softened her gaze. "Have faith in Ryo; he'll be alright."

"Yeah!" Yuli nodded. "He wouldn't let a little thing like space get in his way!"

Selena smiled at the boy's veracity and Mia laughed. "Plus, he has his armor to protect him," Mia added. White Blaze, finished with the soldiers near the trio, came up beside Selena. She petted him absently as she looked back at the fighting ronin.

"They're getting better," she commented as Cye and Kento worked together to destroy two soldiers.

"Yes," Mia agreed, standing next to Selena. "Their powers have increased, but …" she trailed off, not wanting to say anymore.

"But it's not enough." Selena glanced at Mia. "Ryo will find Rowen; we must believe that."

There was a distant rumble and then the sounds of battle were drowned out by a great roar overhead; it sounded like the air itself was ripping in two. Instinctively, Selena and Mia ducked and Yuli grabbed Selena's pants. Selena twisted her body to look up and was momentarily blinded by a streak of light from a shooting star. No, it wasn't a shooting star, Selena thought as her vision cleared and she got a better look at the object. It was –

She felt a sudden jolt as a latent power inside her responded to the object in the sky.

_Ryo!_

Around her the ronin froze as they, too felt the armors' call. They stared at the falling object as it streaked across the sky and their armors glowed. The remaining samurai turned to dust as the armors' powers grew in response to the presence of their missing brethren.

_Justice …_

_Trust …_

_Wisdom …_

Selena smiled. Ryo and Rowen were alive, and the ronin warriors would soon be reunited.

XX

Anubis fell to the floor in agony. One hand clutched at his throbbing head; searing pain ran across his skull in tiny but excruciating bursts of hot electricity. And within he felt something new, something foreign and yet familiar.

"What is this?" he bit out between clenched teeth; the pain in his head only grew stronger.

"I feel …" Anubis pushed past the pain, though the effort made him want to throw up, and he concentrated. His eyes grew wide in surprise. "I feel them!" He could sense the ronin! But there was something else …

"Ryo is alive!" He grinned cruelly and his sudden prescience faded, replaced with a more familiar and soothing anger. Anubis stood up, glad to realize that the pain in his head had subsided to a dull throb.

"I will kill him; it is my destiny to destroy him!"

The candles in the room flickered, and in the brief moment of darkness, Anubis transformed. When the light returned he stood in his armor of Cruelty. His gaze hardened, and he was gone.

XX

The group watched the light descend to Earth, and they turned away when it hit the ground. Wind whipped around them, even though they were far from the place of impact. When it cleared, the ronin began running toward the landing site.

"You guys stay here," Sage ordered Mia, Selena, Yuli, and White Blaze. "We'll come back when it's safe."

And with that the ronin left the small group behind.

Selena fumed as the ronin disappeared from sight. "Like hell I'll stay!" she yelled and started after the ronin.

"Wait!" Mia called, and Selena turned around, one eyebrow raised in question. "It could be dangerous."

"Yes, but so is staying here unprotected. At least with them we'll have a chance!"

"But – "

"Do you want to see what's going on?"

"Well, yes – "

"Then let's go!" Selena urged and started off after the ronin. Mia let out an exasperated breath and hurried after her. Yuli yelled, "Yay! We're gonna see Ryo!" He climbed on top of White Blaze and the two bounded after their companions.

XX

Selena, impatient and eager to get to the ronin, arrived at the site first. She stood on the edge of a giant pit, recently created by Ryo's re-entry and impact with the earth. She looked down into the pit and scanned the area. Instantly her good mood vanished, replaced by shock, horror, and a rising anger.

The ronin – Ryo and Rowen among them – hung, suspended above the scorched earth by chains that were all too familiar. Selena's gut twisted in fear and disgust.

_Anubis_, she thought viciously. With his dark armor he was nearly invisible against the murky landscape, but he laughed and her eyes found him.

He was facing Ryo with his kusarigama raised, ready for attack. Selena glanced from the warlord to Ryo, and her relief at seeing the ronin alive was quickly crushed when she noticed his battered armor. Ryo's body hung limp in the chains that held him and his head was slumped forward. With a gasp Selena realized that he was unconscious and very badly beaten.

_If Anubis attacks, he'll be killed for sure!_

She grasped her powerball in her pocket, prepared to use it, but as her gaze returned to Anubis she paused. Selena's eyes narrowed as she looked the warlord over; he was still in the attack position, but he had made no move toward Ryo. She sensed his hesitation and her grip on the powerball loosened.

_What is going on?_

Anubis's arm began to shake and his eyes flickered in doubt. He was disappointed, yes, but also conflicted. He wanted glory, and killing the ronin would surely bring him that, but part of him hesitated to act.

_This is no grand battle; the boy can hardly move! Still, it would be so easy to kill him …_

Once more, Selena's words haunted him. _**You are injured and unarmed. There would be no honor in defeating you now.**_

Unbidden, Selena's face when she spoke those words rose in his memory. He had been defeated then, like this boy was now. But even though she had the upper hand, she had refused to exploit it. When she threw down her weapon he'd first thought it was a trick; no warrior would let their enemy get away so easily, especially with victory so close. But even though he was a threat to her, she'd given him his freedom, his life. Anubis looked at Ryo's battered body and wondered, _Who is the more honorable?_

He started to lower his weapon but he froze when a slight movement caught hit eye. He looked up and his eyes widened in shock at the sight of Selena standing on the edge of the pit not twenty feet away from him. And what was more, she was smiling at him. It wasn't a mocking grin, but a genuine smile. If anything, this only confused Anubis more.

Selena, who recognized the warlord's submission for what it truly was, smiled at his small show of respect.

_So Anubis, you do have some honor after all._

The moment was shattered by a wild cry. Rowen had managed to free his arms from Anubis's chains and fired an arrow at the distracted warlord.

"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!"

The arrow flew at Anubis in a straight, unyielding line and struck the warlord's helmet. A crack appeared in his kabuto, cutting him, and the armor fell away. Rowen, along with the other ronin, were shocked by what they saw.

"You're human?" Rowen cried, and Anubis, ignoring the blood running down his face, swiftly turned toward Selena. He was just as surprised as the ronin.

_She didn't tell them?_

Their eyes locked, and her warm and confident gaze appeared to reassure him that she had not betrayed his secret. Anubis was astounded, and this new knowledge combined with his not fully understood decision to spare Wildfire sent him over the edge.

He turned back to Rowen, whose attack had managed to dispel the chains keeping him and the other ronin hostage, and sneered, his auburn hair flying in the wind.

"It doesn't matter!" he yelled, and everyone could hear the panic in his voice. Unconsciously, the ronin tensed; Anubis was formidable enough on his own, who knew what he was capable of in this wild state.

"I will destroy you!" the warlord yelled, and raising his weapon ran toward the ronin. He took two steps before a massive bolt of dark energy surrounded him, freezing him. Anubis screamed as the sinister power tightened its hold on his body.

The ronin and Selena watched, confused by this unusual turn of events. Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze arrived behind Selena just as Talpa's voice thundered around them.

"Anubis," Talpa roared, "your heart is no longer true to the dynasty. You have failed me."

Even Selena shivered at the displeasure evident in the demon's voice. She glanced down at Anubis, who was still frozen in the beam of energy, and she felt a stir of pity for the warlord. Talpa's voice promised pain for Anubis, and much of it.

"No, master! I could win!" Anubis pleaded with his master, but Talpa would have none of it.

"Silence! I will not listen!"

The dark energy surrounding the warlord grew so tight that he disappeared from sight. The beam dissipated and Anubis was gone. An uneasy silence descended over the area as the group tried to understand just what happened.

Yuli broke the silence with a cheer as he saw Ryo. "Yippee! Ryo! You did it!" The boy tried to run down to Ryo, but Mia grabbed him. "Just wait," she admonished gently. "Give them time." She nodded to the ronin, who gathered around Ryo and helped him up.

Yuli pouted, especially when White Blaze ran past them into the pit and to his master's side. But Selena just laughed, pushing thoughts of Anubis and Talpa out of her mind as she watched the ronin greet Rowen.

The ronin warriors were together at last.


	9. Shallow Darkness

Hey all! Sorry for the late update; I started a new job and have had some trouble adjusting my writing schedule with my work schedule. Expect 10 day to bi-weekly updates until I get everything sorted out. Thanks!

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Eight**_

"So Anubis is human."

They were sitting in the dirt above the crater that Rowen had caused when he and Ryo returned to Earth. Now that all five ronin were together again it was imperative that they get to the city and to Talpa, but they were taking a break to get Rowen up to speed on the developments since the team was separated by the tornado weeks ago. Plus, Ryo needed the time to gather his strength after his dramatic retrieval of the fifth ronin. White Blaze sat next to the young man, both man and beast resting as the others talked.

Rowen looked around at the group. "Did you know?" he asked.

The ronin shook their heads and Mia spoke, her voice expressing the surprise that everyone felt. "No. The last time we faced Anubis was when Ryo revived. We thought he died when the mountain collapsed."

"Obviously he didn't," Sage said. Unlike the others he stood and his arms were crossed.

Cye shook his head. "But what does this mean?"

"It means that he's mortal, just like you," Selena offered. "And the other warlords are too, most likely."

Rowen was the first to pull back from the conversation. "This is getting us nowhere," he said. "Whether the warlords are human or not, they're meaningless. We need to go after Talpa, not them."

Kento looked at Rowen, eager. "Heck yeah! We're gonna squash him! With the five of us together, that ugly old demon won't stand a chance!"

"Yes," Mia agreed. "Now that you're together you are ready to fight Talpa."

"And get my mom and dad back!" Yuli included, expressing his complete confidence that the ronin would succeed and that he'd see his parents again, hopefully soon.

Cye smiled. "But first we need to get into the dynasty." He looked from Sage to Rowen. "Any ideas how?"

"Easy, we smash 'em!" Kento declared.

Rowen smiled at his friend's enthusiasm. "We need to find the gates first. They mark the entrance to the dynasty."

Sage nodded. "Rowen and I will go into the city and check things out. We'll make a plan from what we find out."

Kento shook his head in disagreement. "No way, man. Cye and me'll create a distraction and fight off some goons to give you a clear shot. Then we'll smash our way in."

"Kento, I don't think that's such a great idea."

"Why not?"

Sage muttered, "Because it's foolish" and before Kento could get too angry, Selena interceded. "All of you will go together."

The ronin turned to look at her. All were curious, although Rowen looked vaguely amused. Whether it was from the brief argument or her declaration, Selena didn't know.

Mia nodded her own agreement. "Yes, it's for the best." Selena smiled at the other woman, glad to have her support.

Kento gaped at the two women, feeling somewhat blindsided and betrayed. Although he didn't mind the plan, Sage demanded an explanation.

"Why do you say that?"

Mia answered him. "Because all five armors are needed to destroy Talpa." Mia glanced in her direction and Selena continued. "It's more than that; you need to stay together. The armors are connected to each other; they feed off of their energies."

"So not only are you stronger individually, but as a group as well," Mia finished.

Selena cut off Sage before he had a chance to voice his question. "It's true." She faced Ryo. "You knew where Cye was located in the bay; it would have been impossible to find him otherwise. And Sage, you said that you sensed Ryo before you were revived in the cave. It's because of the armors' connection that you were able to find each other."

Rowen's brow was furrowed as he thought about what they'd just said. "You know this?" he asked the two women. Mia and Selena looked at each other and nodded.

"We've discussed it, yes," Selena replied and Rowen nodded, satisfied.

"What about the warlords' armors?" Kento asked, unintentionally bringing the focus back to Anubis..

Selena thought she knew what Kento was getting at, although the young man was too afraid to voice his thoughts. Without revealing anything, Selena answered his question with one of her own. "Have you been able to sense the warlords?"

"No." Selena didn't think that was entirely true; in the last battle she'd felt Anubis for the first time, although his presence was strangely muddled. And he'd been able to sense her when he held her powerball. Why she could sense him now and not before was a mystery.

Selena blinked and brought herself back to the present. Luckily the group mistook her silence for contemplation, and she smiled at Kento and the other ronin. "I wouldn't worry about it," she responded, painfully aware that her reply was incredibly vague. If the ronin noticed, they didn't say anything.

"But if a human was able to wield a dark armor, then what about ours? Can they go bad, too?"

Something about Kento's question reminded Selena of what her master had said to her regarding Anubis, but in a flash her insight was gone. Rowen frowned. "But that would imply that the dark armors were once good." He looked at the group for confirmation. "Right?"

No one answered. The group looked troubled, not willing to consider the possibility that the warlords had ever been anything other than Talpa's evil servants. All except Selena, who believed that Anubis had once been more than just a warlord. She hadn't been lying when she told Anubis that humans couldn't survive in the Netherrealm, and they certainly weren't born there, which very strongly indicated that he had a past that extended beyond the dynasty. Selena found herself wondering what that past was. Had Anubis always been cruel and power-hungry? Is that why the dynasty found him? Or did Talpa trick him somehow?

Kento finally found the words to speak. Selena blinked her thoughts away and focused on the ronin. He looked at his friends, his normally jovial blue eyes troubled. His brow furrowed and he frowned, worried. "What about our armors then? Can they go bad, like the warlords'?"

Ryo immediately protested. "Don't think like that, Kento! The warlords are evil!"

"Yeah," Cye agreed. "We're nothing like them!"

"Besides, your symbol is justice, and justice is always used for good!" This came from Yuli, whose earnestness brought a smile to Kento's face. Still, his concern didn't entirely disappear.

"Okay," Rowen said, purposefully changing the subject. "Everyone rest up. We're going after Talpa."

XX

Several hours later the group was back in the city. An ominous fog shrouded the streets and buildings, making it impossible to see farther than a few inches in front of them. Because of this, the group moved slowly.

Ryo, who was feeling much better now that he'd had a chance to rest, looked around him for any movement. His eyes narrowed as he was unable to see through the thick fog. "Stay close together," he ordered. Although the command was meant for everyone, the other ronin immediately stepped closer to Mia, Yuli, and Selena.

"How're we supposed to find these gates when we can't even see anything?" Kento asked, waving his hand through some fog in front of his face, as if doing so would help him see better.

Selena agreed with Kento. Hell, they could barely see each other! "Maybe we're supposed to run into them – Ow!" Selena cried as an armored foot crushed the toes in her much softer shoe.

"Oh, sorry!" Cye said and quickly moved his foot. Selena wasn't mad at him though; you could barely see your own hand in this fog, let alone know where your foot was going!

As it turned out they didn't need to worry about finding the dynasty; the dynasty found them. Selena bent over to rub at her foot, an act that saved her life. White Blaze growled and not two seconds later a spear cut through the air where moments before her head had been. It landed, embedded in the ground less than a foot from her. Selena, still bent over, stared dumbfounded at the spear. It was quiet so she assumed that everyone else was equally astonished, and then all hell broke loose.

More spears appeared and in a flurry of movement Selena was pushed over and Mia and Yuli shoved beside her. Blinking and pushing herself off the concrete, Selena saw that the ronin had formed a protective circle around them and were blocking the incoming spears with their armor. It was a difficult task because the fog veiled the attacks until they were almost upon them.

"I don't understand," Mia said. "How can the dynasty see through the fog? How do they know what they're hitting?"

White Blaze roared and disappeared into the fog, heedless of Ryo's desperate, "Come back you stupid tiger!"

Seeing White Blaze's dash, Selena thought she had the answer. "Unless they can somehow see through this stuff, they must be close by." She faced the ronin to tell them, but they were too busy blocking spears and arrows. Selena frowned, then searched around her for something to prove her theory. Her eyes landed on the embedded spear and her face lit up. She grabbed the weapon that almost killed her, but it was too far in the ground for her to pull.

"Mia, Yuli, can you help me with this?"

The two came over, placed their hands on the weapon, and on Selena's count pulled hard. Apparently the spear wasn't as deeply embedded as Selena thought because it came loose easily and the three momentarily lost their balance at its abrupt release.

Once righted, Selena held the spear. "Excellent," she said. She waited for the next attack to appear, carefully watching the direction the weapon came from and heaved her spear in the same direction.

A few moments later Selena was satisfied to hear a resounding clang and grunt, but her satisfaction was short-lived. The group watched as the fog surrounding them cleared. Mia gasped and the grin was wiped off of Selena's face.

Legions of dynasty soldiers surrounded the tiny group, and all of them were armed. No matter where you looked there were samurai, their dark eyes shining cruelly at the ronin and their companions.

Sometimes, Selena decided, ignorance was bliss.

White Blaze stood only a few feet in front of the group, his fur on end and his lips pulled back to show his sharp teeth as he growled at the soldiers. Recognizing the dangerous position they were in, Rowen turned to the trio and yelled, "Mia, Selena, Yuli – get out of here!"

Selena looked around for an exit, but soldiers were everywhere. "How are we supposed to - ?"

With a vicious roar that sent shivers down her back, White Blaze leapt at a group of samurai. Even though they were demons, the sight of an angry, fully grown Siberian tiger bearing down on them with fangs and claws extended still frightened them. The soldiers pulled back for a moment and that was all the opening Selena needed.

"There it is; let's go," she said to Mia and Yuli, and the three ran past the ronin and into the small path created by White Blaze. Behind them came the sounds of battle, and they knew that the ronin were fighting defensively now that they were gone.

Unfortunately they didn't get far. The fog closed in around them, cutting off their vision and their escape. "Shit!" Selena swore and then grimaced. "Sorry, Yuli," she said. When the boy didn't reply she turned around, worried.

Yuli wasn't there. Neither was Mia.

"Mia? Yuli?" Selena called and when no one answered her concern increased. They had been right behind her! What could have happened? She looked around but couldn't see anything, and for the second time she cursed the dense fog.

"Maybe they went back," she said aloud and headed back the way she came, but Selena saw and heard nothing. When she returned to the place where they'd been attacked, she swore again. The streets were empty, and she could hear no sound to indicate where the ronin might be. Her eyes narrowed. If Talpa had planned to separate them again, he had succeeded.

Selena called for her friends again, this time including the ronin. When no one answered, as she expected, she sent a silent prayer that Mia and Yuli, at least were able to take care of themselves, because it looked as if – for the moment – everyone was on their own.

XX

Anubis screamed. Sticky red liquid pulled at him, grasping at his arms and torso. He was caught in the substance; already it reached his legs, but still it stretched higher. Everywhere the liquid touched it filled him with dark energy that sent spasms of pain throughout his body. Another scream was ripped from his already raw throat, and Anubis fought the urge to pass out. He didn't understand why this was happening. What had he done wrong? He thought that Talpa understood; this punishment made no sense.

"Master, please! What did I do to deserve this?" he desperately called, but Talpa made no reply. Instead the Netherspirits that hovered above him increased their ceaseless chanting, and the bands that held him grew stronger.

Anubis tried to resist. He lashed at the semi-solid liquid that held him, but his slightest movement was met with sharp jolts of electric heat. The spirits' power was too strong; they urged him to give in.

Tendrils shot out of the miasma that surrounded him and wrapped themselves around the warlord's back, restraining him and pulling him closer to the red river. Another attempt at resistance was sharply rebuked; this time the liquid bands burned deep enough to be felt against his skin.

Anubis slumped. Sensing his weak state, the spirits changed their chant. Dark energy flooded through the warlord, and he didn't even notice the scream that came from him, so overwhelming was the pain.

The chanting ceased and the bands on his body retreated to the floor. Anubis slowly stood to his full height and raised his head. His eyes glowed red.

He grinned.

XX

"Kento was here alright."

Selena stared where a car stood vertically on its headlights, resting against a concrete pillar in the parking deck and frowned. No matter where she looked the abandoned cars in the deck's first level had some kind of damage: scratches, dented frames and bumpers, cracked windshields, and the occasional upturned vehicle were silent testament to a recent battle. But there were no samurai bodies anywhere, which Selena thought was pretty odd. Admittedly she didn't know – or really care – what happened to the soldiers once their spirits left the armor, but she didn't think they would just disappear.

So what happened here? Who – or what – was Kento fighting? And where was the ronin now?

Selena froze as a sudden pain pierced her chest, and she clenched her heart. _What the hell?_

The pain flared and then receded. Just as quickly as it appeared it vanished, leaving Selena very confused and worried.

"Was that one of the ronin?" She closed her eyes and concentrated, using her armor's power to seek the others. A familiar pulse responded to hers. _Rowen._ He was nearby. Once she found him it would be easier to locate the other four … she hoped.

Thinking that Rowen was in trouble, Selena ran out of the parking deck and crossed two city blocks before a chain and sickle flew out of the fog and barely missed hitting her shoulder. Selena pivoted and turned around, dreading the warlord she expected to see. She let out a breath of relief when she saw that it wasn't Anubis that had attacked her, but a group of soldiers. When two attacked simultaneously her brain kicked into gear and Selena hauled ass down the street.

_Why are they attacking me?_ She wondered as she ran. Once more Selena cursed her decision to transform in front of Anubis. _Do they know who I am? Or did Talpa order a free-for-all?_ Not knowing the answer was extremely irritating. Selena decided to play it safe; unless these goons called her out or cornered her, she wouldn't transform. Instead she kept to her plan: find Rowen, find the others.

She dodged another attack, this one by a very poorly thrown spear. Three soldiers suddenly appeared in front of her, and swearing at the fog and her inability to see very far, Selena quickly changed course and nearly tripped down the very stairs she was looking for. Selena blinked stupidly at the subway station for a moment, pushed aside sudden flashbacks of her first encounter with Anubis, and quickly ran down the steps and into the darkness, cursing the dynasty and its propensity to kill electricity.

She was too busy running away from the still pursuing soldiers and avoiding being clipped by turnstiles that Selena didn't see where she was going and ran straight into the person she was looking for.

Selena fell to the ground and swore when she hit the hard subway tiles. Above her a male voice laughed. "Can I give you a hand?"

Selena looked up and her face broke into a smile when she saw that it was Rowen. "Thanks," she said and he helped her to her feet.

"What are you doing in here?" the blue haired ronin asked, smiling. Selena paused, looking him over. He didn't appear to be injured. She was confused. If that signal hadn't come from him, then who sent it? She resolved to find out, but first she had to take care of the issue at hand. Selena gestured behind her. "Soldiers were – are – after me."

Rowen's good humor vanished and he stepped forward, headed toward the subway entrance to face the dynasty's samurai. Selena grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"No! It's a trap. You and the other ronin are weak on your own; that's why you were separated. You've got to find the others." Rowen looked at her, surprised and opened his mouth to say something, but knowing that time was short, Selena rushed on. "Kento is nearby; I saw his handiwork in a parking deck two blocks over." Her hands dug into the ronin's arms, expressing her urgency. "Find him."

A sound behind them made her turn around. She saw nothing and her insistence increased. Selena turned back, her eyes seeking Rowen's. "Go. I'll draw them off."

This Rowen did not like. "Selena, you can't possibly – "

"It's dark. They can't see me." _I hope_, she thought. These guys could fly for all she knew. "Wait until the last is in, then go. Do not fight unless you have to; that is what Talpa wants."

Even in the dim light she could see the doubt in the ronin's eyes. He really didn't want to leave her here, in the dark subway alone with God only knew how many dynasty soldiers. A low moaning drone drifted down the subway entrance, heralding the soldiers' arrival. The two briefly looked to the stairs and then back at each other. Selena sensed Rowen's hesitation and she stepped away from him, moving toward the stairwell.

"Find the other ronin," she told him. "You cannot defeat Talpa on your own."

Without waiting for a response, Selena ran to the subway entrance and looked up at the approaching soldiers. Their eyes glinted in the low light. Selena gulped and hoped that her hastily made plan would work.

"Hey!" She yelled up the stairs. "Looking for me?"

The first soldiers on the stairs paused. When they caught sight of her their grip on their weapons tightened and they moved more confidently down the steps.

"Well come on, then!" Selena yelled, took a few steps back, and darted out of sight. She risked a glance in Rowen's direction, but he was gone.

_Good_, she thought. Hopefully he was hiding somewhere the soldiers wouldn't find him. She ran into the pitch-black subway tunnel and edged along the service wall, keeping her right side pressed against the concrete wall. Her fingers trailed across the uneven surface, which were scratched by cracks in the wall. Occasionally _something_ would skitter away from or over her hand, which she steadfastly ignored by concentrating instead on the sounds behind her.

She heard the soldiers moving around in the tunnel, which amplified their low moaning and only added to the creepiness of her surroundings. Gradually her eyes adjusted to the dark, but she wasn't willing to turn around to find out how well her sight worked; she was having a hard enough time just staying on the ledge. Her foot slipped on a loose piece of concrete and she fell against the wall. Fragments of concrete fell onto the tracks below. Behind her the moaning stopped as the soldiers listened to the noise.

_Great_. Selena rolled her eyes as she picked herself up. Now they knew where she was. She hoped that the tunnel's echo had distorted the actual distance between them, but she wasn't counting on it. At least the narrow ledge would slow them down.

There was a distant 'thump' behind her. Selena paused, listening. Several seconds later there was another 'thump' and then another. Selena barely stopped herself from swearing and giving her position away.

_Damn!_

The samurai were dropping from the ledge to the dangerous – but much wider – tracks below. The sounds of her enemies' new tactic continued to reach her ears, and Selena knew that she could not remain on the ledge; it was no longer safe – the soldiers would reach her in no time moving on the wide tracks.

She moved to the edge of the concrete, and praying that she didn't hit the (most likely) still-electrified lines, jumped. Because Selena couldn't see and therefore didn't know how deep the trench was, she hit the ground hard. Selena used her momentum to tuck herself into a roll, which prevented her feet from absorbing most of the shock. She stood up, a little dizzy but uninjured and glad for it. She carefully listened for the falls of her pursuing enemy to make sure that she wouldn't inadvertently walk toward them. Satisfied that she was still walking into the tunnel, Selena moved on, her steps quick to place as much distance between herself and the soldiers as possible.

Not even ten minutes later disaster struck. The ground beneath Selena's feet began to shake. First it was nothing more than small vibrations but they quickly grew into a steady rumble that shook her entire body. Selena's unease grew and she frowned. What was going on?

Blaring light stunned and blinded her. With rising panic she knew that a train was headed toward her, and she tried to get out of the way, but she couldn't see; the light was too bright and she'd been in darkness for too long. She stumbled, reaching futilely for the end of the ledge, but it was too far away and too high for her to grasp.

_This is a really shitty way to die_, she thought morosely, still trying to move herself off of the tracks. Still hurtling toward her, the train blared its horn, which to Selena sounded like a noisy middle finger from the dynasty. She made one last effort to get out of the way. Suddenly strong arms wrapped around her and she was flying through the air.

With the stranger's arms still secured around her waist, they landed on a ledge just as the train sped by. Breathing a sigh of relief at her near-escape from death, Selena twisted and in the train's dying light saw who held her.

"Sage!"

She felt rather than saw the ronin's gaze. "Selena. What are you doing here?"

Deciding it would be best not to ask the ronin the same thing, she replied, "Soldiers chased me in here."

Sage let go of her and stood up, facing the way she'd come. "You mean they're that way, too?"

She hazarded a guess as to what he meant by 'that way.' "Yeah. They're blocking the entrance – wait. What do you mean, 'they're that way, too'?"

She was surprised when the ronin swore. "They were following me, too, from the opposite direction. I came this way hoping there was a way out."

Well, damn. That was what she had been doing.

"Maybe that train destroyed them," Selena offered, not really believing it.

"Yeah," Sage replied, his voice echoing her thoughts.

"Well we have to do something. We can't sit here all day." Selena stood up and faced Sage. "If there are soldiers after you, then we'll just have to go the way I came and hope that train took care of the ones following me." No matter how badly she did not want to go back, it was the logical thing to do, something that she knew Sage would appreciate.

"You're right," he said. He thought for a moment and then spoke. "Take my hand." After a few moments of blind searching Selena found his proffered appendage and grasped his hand. His fingers closed around hers. "This way we won't get separated," Sage explained and Selena nodded although he could not see her.

"Okay," she said. "Let's go."

Sage turned and they slowly edged along the wall, both secretly hoping that they weren't headed into a trap.

They walked in silence, listening for any sound that would alert them of their enemies' whereabouts, but they heard nothing except for the echoes of their own footsteps. Then Sage asked, "Why are they after you?"

"I don't know," Selena replied honestly.

"Hmm. They went after Mia and Yuli, too."

Selena gasped. "What? Are they okay? Where are they?"

"I got them out of the tunnel, then those soldiers went after me. I told them to find Ryo, so they should be okay."

Selena's eyes widened at the ronin's name. In her haste to not be caught by the dynasty's warriors she had forgotten why she had them chase after her in the first place. "Sage," she said, "you have to find Ryo."

But the ronin of light wasn't listening. "Shh!" he commanded, freezing in place and Selena instantly fell silent behind him. Selena felt his body tense and the two stood still in the darkness, listening.

At first Selena heard nothing except for their own shallow breathing. And then there it was, distant and yet close enough for worry: the low moaning that Selena had been dreading to hear.

"The dynasty!" Sage breathed. He twisted around and Selena knew that he was looking at her, just as she knew that he desperately wanted to fight but hesitated to do so because she was there.

Thankfully she wasn't one of the wilting flower types of women. Selena gave Sage's hand a squeeze. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

The moaning grew louder and Sage took off down the ledge, pulling Selena behind him. The pair ran as fast as they could in the dark without losing their balance on the narrow ledge. Selena thought about telling Sage to jump onto the tracks, but her near miss with the train made her pause, convinced that the dynasty would not waste the opportunity to send another.

Her shoulder slammed into a protruding section of concrete, which caused Selena to lose her balance. Expecting to fall against the wall, Selena yelped in surprise when instead she went through an open space. She kicked at the ground, trying to get a hold on anything, but the old floor gave way and she fell back.

Sage's strong grip on her hand was the only thing that kept her from falling to God knew where. Where the hell was she, anyway? Selena tried to look below, but it was too dark to see.

"Selena! Give me your other hand," Sage ordered. Selena tore her gaze away from the space below her and looked back at Sage. "Here," she said and swung her body so that her free hand grasped his. Their hands slipped, but on the second try they got it.

"I'm going to pull you up."

"No!" Selena cried. "I think there's another level down here. We can hide there; the soldiers will never find us."

"Can you see the bottom?"

"No, but it can't be that far."

Sage snorted, but it sounded strained from the effort of holding on to the woman. "You want to jump into a dark hole when you don't know how deep it is or where it even leads? I think I'd rather face the soldiers."

Sending the ronin an annoyed look that she was glad he didn't see, Selena kicked off a shoe and listened for its impact with the ground below. It didn't take long and she quickly gauged the distance to the floor.

"It's not that far a drop. Let me go and follow when I say it's safe."

Sage sighed and admitted his partial defeat. It looked as if they were going into the dark and possibly deadly hole. Hurray. "No. I'll pull you up and go first."

Selena shook her head, a gesture that Sage felt through their connected hands. "We don't have the time!" She was right; the soldiers were fast approaching them. Knowing that he couldn't see her, Selena gripped his hands to express her resolve.

"Trust me."

Sage hesitated and after a moment he squeezed back. "On three," he said. "One, two … three!" His hands released hers and Selena fell. Cold wind rushed around her, but she ignored this and prepared her body for the impact.

She hit the ground and rolled, moving over something hard as she did so. Selena sat upright and rubbed her back for a moment before reaching behind her, groping to find the object she'd landed on. When her hand touched the leather of her own shoe, she rolled her eyes. _Figures._

Selena quickly pulled the shoe on and called up to Sage. Moments later a heavy 'smack' indicated the ronin's arrival. "Selena?" he called.

"Over here," she answered. Sage walked toward her voice, stumbling a bit as he did so. "It's darker down here than it was in the tunnel," he said and Selena had to agree with him. In this tunnel or whatever it was, it was darker than dark. If a void could have a color, this was it. She couldn't even see her hand if she waved it in front of her face, nor could she see even the faintest outline of Sage's body, like she had in the tunnel.

Plus, it was cold down here, almost unnaturally so.

"Stand back," Sage said. "I'm going to transform." A supernatural wind whipped around them and a burst of light briefly illuminated their surroundings as the armor of Halo was summoned forth. The room darkened, but only for a moment before Sage withdrew his sword and a soft glow surrounded the blade.

Well, that wasn't quite right, Selena thought as her eyes adjusted to the light. The glow was actually coming from the sword. It crackled with electricity and she jumped back with a start. She looked at Sage, impressed.

_He's learned to control the sword's power._

She smiled. This was good; it meant that the ronin's powers were more refined. _Perhaps they are ready to face the dynasty after all. _With that thought, her smiled disappeared. _But they can't do it alone._

"Sage," she said and the ronin turned toward her. "You have to find the other ronin."

He looked at her, the light from his weapon sending shadows across his face. "I know," he said. Selena's eyes widened in surprise. "The dynasty separated us to make us weak. I even felt one of the ronin's distress." She looked at Sage in open shock. He'd felt that, too?

Sage mistook her shock for worry. "I don't know who it was, but I sensed that Rowen was the closest to me. That's why I was in the subway. I was looking for him."

"But you found me instead," Selena murmured. She wondered if Sage had felt her presence, and that's how he discovered her on the tracks.

_But he shouldn't be able to sense me; no one should. _Except Anubis, she reminded herself and cringed. _Yes, let's bring back that pleasant memory_, she thought. No matter what her master said, she couldn't forgive herself for allowing the warlord to discover her identity. She only hoped that no one else would find out; one was enough.

"Rowen was in the subway," Selena said, forcing herself to focus on the present. "I saw him. But I guess he got out because the samurai kept coming after me."

"Let's hope so. This isn't a fun place to be stuck in."

At his words Selena looked around her and truly saw her surroundings for the first time. They were definitely in another subway tunnel, but this one looked like it had been abandoned for decades. Old mosaic tiles hung loose from the walls and the floor was littered with fallen plaster as well as the concrete from the adjacent tunnel.

"There must be a way out." She forgot that the acoustics amplified any sound and Sage heard her.

"Maybe," he said. "If the engineers didn't block it off when they decommissioned this line."

"There is!" Selena said, suddenly sure of her claim. "I felt wind when I fell; it had to come from somewhere."

"Are you sure that it wasn't from the tunnel above?"

Selena nodded vigorously. "Yes. It came from below me. Hold still!"

Similar to how he'd commanded her earlier, Sage now froze and they waited, listening for wind. Selena felt it first, a tiny breeze against her cheek. She whirled around. "There!" she said, pointing. Sage stood beside her and waved his sword in the direction she indicated. Now he, too, felt the breeze. It was coming from the left side of the tunnel. The sword showed more cracked walls and a rat skittered out of sight. Beyond that was more darkness.

Sage peered down the tunnel, a frown on his face. He was reluctant to go, but staying wasn't an option. "Stay close to me," he told Selena. "We don't know what might be down there."

They had been walking for maybe fifteen minutes, the only light coming from Sage's sword, when cold, cruel laughter surrounded them and echoed in the tunnel. The two stared straight ahead, knowing despite the reverberation exactly where the sound was coming from.

"Show yourself!" Sage demanded.

Smirking, Cale emerged from the shadows. "Did you think you could escape?" He laughed. "Too bad."

Selena resisted the urge to ask the warlord just what in hell he was doing all the way down here and instead groaned. She did not need the ronin wasting time by fighting with the warlords. She wondered briefly if it was possible to convince Sage to walk away from this fight. The ronin's sudden scream of, "THUNDER BOLT CUT!" shot that idea straight to hell.

Hot lightning shot from the end of Sage's sword and struck Cale in the chest. The warlord fell back but did not retreat. "You will pay for that, ronin," the warlord snarled. With a quick snap of his wrist he extended his claws and charged at Sage, who fired a bolt of light that hurtled toward the attacking warlord. Cale easily deflected the bolt, which crashed into the tunnel wall. Plaster and the remains of Sage's attack showered around Selena, who ducked to avoid the more deadly pieces.

Sage, who was countering Cale's vicious slashes with cuts of his own, saw his attack nearly hit her. Fearing for her, he yelled, "Selena! Get out of here!"

She didn't need to be told twice. No matter how much she wanted to help Sage, the narrow tunnel was less than an ideal place for a bystander. Quite frankly, with the way those two were going at it she'd be lucky to last another five minutes.

"Remember what I said!" She yelled back, purposefully vague so as not to alert Cale to their plan. "Do what you have to do!"

Sage nodded at her over Cale's shoulder and Selena disappeared into the dark.

XX

When she finally emerged from the tunnel, Selena was greeted by a gigantic blast. Nearly collapsing to her feet in relief at seeing soldier-free light again, she just as quickly jumped and ducked behind a concrete pillar. The earth shook again and Selena grasped the pillar for support. Could this day get any worse?

A car flew through the air and landed upside down across the street, apparently mocking her. Selena instinctively flinched as metal and glass met asphalt in an ear-splitting screech. She waited a moment to ensure that no more vehicles would suddenly become UFOs, and headed in the direction of the destruction. She stayed close to the buildings on the street to maintain a certain degree of safety.

Only a lunatic would go closer to what was obviously a ferocious battle, but Selena knew that Kento was nearby. And if he was fighting that meant another warlord was in town.

Selena rounded a corner, the earth-shattering crashes and throaty yells telling her that she was close, and she was right. In the middle of the street in a huge intersection Kento faced off with Dais.

"That bastard," Selena growled, remembering how the warlord had tricked her into believing her greatest fears.

Dais unhooked his six kama from his back and threw them at Kento, their bases extending as the sharp blades hurled toward the ronin. But Kento was undaunted by the attack and simply spun his naginata so quickly that the warlord's blades were harmlessly deflected.

While the warlord tried to recall his blades, Kento released the ends of his weapon so that they became stylized nunchaku. They slammed into Dais's chin and the warlord fell to the ground. Selena was impressed with Kento's fighting technique. Like Sage, he was learning to control himself, a vital skill to have in battle.

However Dais was not done with the ronin yet. He stood up and smiled at his young opponent. His grin unnerved Selena just as much as it did Kento; what the hell was this guy doing?

"Is that all?" Dais taunted. "I want more, and so does your armor. Give it the blood it desires." The warlord grasped his own weapon, but did not use it. Instead he continued to taunt Kento. "Come, be as violent as your armor's nature permits."

_What the hell is he talking about?_ Selena thought. Kento wasn't violent, and neither was his armor. Her eyes narrowed. What was Dais trying to do?

"Enough!" Kento roared. "I don't fight as my armor commands; I fight of my own free will!"

From where she was hidden, Selena smiled. So Kento had been listening when she and Mia described some of the armors' powers.

But Dais only laughed. "The armor's power is strong. Show the evil side of it, Hardrock!"

"You bastard!" Selena yelled, unable to help herself as she realized what Dais was up to. He was trying to make Kento doubt himself, and thereby become vulnerable to the dynasty. "No, Kento! Your armor is not evil!" she yelled, but the ronin couldn't hear her.

Dais attacked and this time Selena understood his strategy; he was trying to unleash Kento's temper while he was wearing the armor of Hardrock so that his negative emotions would corrupt the armor. If he succeeded, it would bring the armor – and its wielder – closer to the dynasty. She would not let that happen.

Selena watched the battle closely, her eyes on Kento. If he showed any sign of doubt, she would step in – in full armor if she had to. But so far Kento was doing well. He continued to fight Dais, and although she could not see what illusions the warlord was using, she suspected that he was when Kento yelled, "You can't use that to trick me again!"

Her suspicions were confirmed when Kento slammed Dais against a building and then faltered, yelling mournfully, "Cye!" when Torrent was nowhere to be seen. Dais threw one of his kama at Hardrock, who yelled, "Rowen?" and dodged what he clearly thought was an arrow, not the sickle that it truly was.

"This isn't good," Selena said to herself. Her fingers curled around her powerball, ready to use it to defend Kento, even if it meant exposing herself. She would not let the dynasty possess any of the ronin armors!

Kento's next words gave her pause. The ronin gripped his naginata; even from where she stood Selena could see the weapon shake from its wielder's fury. "Dais, you really want to make me lose it. My armor is not evil!" he bellowed.

Kento held his naginata high above his head, spun it around so fast that it created its own wind, and slammed the weapon into the ground, screaming his attack.

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"

The very earth responded to Kento's call. It undulated and shook, and the glass in nearby buildings shattered. Selena wisely moved herself across the street and the road exploded. Asphalt boulders, dirt, and glass shot into the air and shimmered with the ronin's power. There was so much of it that Kento and Dais were removed from sight. The earth roared its anger, and Selena ducked, clamping her hands over her ears to dull the cacophonous noise.

Dais just laughed at the destruction, even as it consumed him. "You cannot hide your true nature," he yelled to Kento. Then he said the words that struck at the ronin's heart. "You are just like us."

The warlord laughed once more and disappeared in a colored ball, retreating to the safety of the dynasty.

When the noise and dust cleared, Selena came out of her shelter. Her mouth dropped open at the street – or what remained of it. A giant hole at least twenty feet across gaped in an office building's center, its guts of desks, papers, and chairs spilling over the sidewalk and street. The road was completely upset; it looked as if an earthquake had driven through the center of the street, ripping the asphalt in two and exposing the sewer lines and wet dirt below. Everything was deathly quiet; Selena wasn't sure if what she was seeing was real even though she witnessed the battle.

A large metal sign groaned ominously, slid down the now slanted roof of a windowless building, and crashed into the street. Kento stared at the sign's descent without blinking. This worried Selena more than she wanted to admit, and she walked up to the ronin. He didn't seem to notice her; his gaze was blank and he was talking to himself.

"It can't be," he said. Selena's heart wrenched at the despair in his voice and she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she said, gently shaking Kento and dipping her head so that their faces were on an equal level. He blinked and blue eyes found her brown ones. She smiled gently. "Don't believe him." When Kento gave her a confused look, Selena elaborated. "Your armor is not evil." The young man still looked doubtful, a weakness that she needed to remedy and quick, for the dynasty would act on any opening they could find.

Selena took a deep breath and told Kento the truth. She doubted that the young man knew the significance of what she was revealing, but she told him anyway because he needed to know. "Your armor reacts to how you feel. The warlords' armors are evil because they are evil. You and the other ronins' armors are good because you follow your heart and have faith in your virtues." Here Selena touched the crest on Kento's armor that represented his element of Earth. Kento copied her gesture and placed his fingers against his crest, his eyes filling with wonder. His gaze met her unwavering eyes, and her heart lightened at the hope she saw there. "Believe in your armor, your virtue and it will not fail you." She smiled and gave Kento a pat on the back. "Come on, let's find the others."

Lightning rent the air and struck at their feet. Yelping, Selena and Kento jumped back. Color drained from Selena's face when the lightning burned red and turned into very familiar metal chains.

"I don't think so, little ronin."

The sheer hatred in that voice made the hairs on Selena's neck stand on end, as did the hidden meaning in those simple words. Kento didn't know it, but that salutation was aimed at her.

A shadow descended from the rooftops above and landed several feet away from them. The already injured earth split under the warlord's feet and burned as he walked toward the duo. His eyes blazed red and Selena gasped. Kento gave voice to her thoughts.

"What's happened to him?"

Anubis laughed and the sound made Selena tremble. For the first time she felt true fear – and a little sadness – as she looked at Anubis. The warlord flicked his wrist and his chain went flying. The attack was so fast that Selena only felt it. Anubis's blade cut her cheek, drawing blood as it continued beyond her until it was embedded in the remains of an office building.

Selena cried out at the weapon's sting and automatically pressed her hand against her face. She pulled it back and stared at the blood on her fingertips, shocked. She raised her head and her gaze landed on the identical cut on Anubis's cheek.

_An eye for an eye …_

Her eyes slipped to his fiery ones, and he grinned. It was not a pleasant grin, and Selena shivered. Kento yelled something, but neither of them heard it, so deep was their focus on each other. Anubis raised the other end of his weapon and caressed the spikes in a silent promise. His gaze on Selena was fierce and firm.

"Time to die, spitfire."

* * *

**Notes:**

I mentioned the lack of dark samurai bodies in the car park because it occurred to me that no matter how many soldiers the ronin kill, you rarely see their bodies. I know that their spirits leave the armor when they die, but what happens to the physical armor? Does it just disappear? Any thoughts?

The pain that Selena and the other ronin felt (yes they all felt it) was Anubis's. Even though Anubis is part of the dynasty, his fluctuating loyalty enables the ronin to sense him, just as he senses them. This ability disappears when he is under the dynasty's control.

Okay. The ronin get separated _a lot_ in the show. I needed someone to have the sense to realize that Talpa was trying to keep them weak, and since the majority of this story is written from Selena's point of view, that person was her.

As far as the still-electrified tracks go, I decided that even though the power is out and has been for some time, the subway tracks would probably still have voltage left in them. That is why Selena referred to the tracks as dangerous, and why she wanted to avoid them. The electricity stored in the tracks wouldn't be dispersed until it was grounded, say by a touch or an accidental fall.

Sage sensed Rowen. He applied what Mia and Selena told them about their armors' connection to find Rowen. He knew that he'd been able to sense Ryo when he was in stasis in the cave, and so he tried to sense his friends again to locate them after the dynasty had separated them again.

A _kama _is basically a small sickle. It was usually used by farmers or peasants for harvesting crops. Dais has six of them that he keeps connected on a grip that locks on his back.

A _naginata_ is pole weapon that usually consists of wooden shaft with a curved blade at the end. Kento's has a trident at the end, and can be pulled apart and used like nunchucks.

_Nunchaku_ – nunchucks, but I used the Japanese word instead because it sounds awesome.


	10. Selena's Battle

Hello all! I apologize again for the delay; this chapter ended up being incredibly difficult to write, and after _many_ drafts I finally got it to where I wanted it to be. My work schedule has evened out, so expect regular weekly updates once more.

To my anonymous reviewers:

SJ16: Thanks for pointing out the translation error. I went back and fixed it in the text and footnotes.

LdySubaru: I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter; I had a lot of fun writing it.

* * *

_**Nine**_

He was her nightmare made flesh. The air tingled and shimmered around him, and the earth cracked beneath his feet. His kusarigama had never looked more vicious, nor his presence so menacing. In this moment Anubis truly was the master of cruelty.

Selena's body tensed and she fought the rising panic as she stared at Anubis in open terror.

A grin, a subtle but strong flick of the wrist, and the kusarigama was flying at her. An audible 'crack' was the only warning she had. Selena didn't think, she only reacted and dropped to the ground. A terrible wind whipped past her head, generated by the spiked weight as it flew over her. It missed her by millimeters.

Selena hit the pavement, her quick reflexes the only thing that prevented her from cracking her skull against the jagged asphalt. With a laugh Anubis pulled on the half of his chain that was attached to the office building behind her. The building swayed and with a loud groan began to fall. Wind rushed up to meet the collapsing building and turned into a roar. Selena ran, pushing her feet to work against the quaking ground. With tremendous effort she half-ran, half-stumbled away from the plummeting structure.

The building crashed and she fell, moving her body into a roll. Selena coughed and blinked rapidly; trying to clear her lungs and eyes of the dirt and debris that now filled the air. A sound almost like a chuckle came from somewhere nearby. She looked up and froze. Anubis towered above her, his red eyes piercing the grimy air.

With a grunt of frustration he pulled the weight back to him and the weapon hurtled through the air in perfect alignment with her skull. Selena saw the chain move past her and knew what was coming. But she was undaunted. Selena turned and grabbed at the chain as it returned to its master. She dug into the links, which burned and tore at her skin as Anubis continued to pull on the chain. Still she held on.

Selena had seconds to decide what to do, and then Kento was there. He jumped in front of her and struck the end of his naginata against the spiked ball, knocking the projectile to the ground.

"What are you doing, picking on her? Are you afraid to have a real fight?"

Anubis only laughed at Kento's brave words. "Foolish boy, you do not stand a chance against me!"

"We'll see about that," Kento shot back and charged.

"Indeed."

Kento ran forward, swinging his staff and Anubis struck with the free end of his chain. The two met with a tremendous crash that Selena felt from her place on the ground. With the two warriors distracted with each other, she got up and backed away from the battle.

Kento fought fiercely, alternately attacking and blocking blows from the warlord, obviously eager to inflict as much damage as possible to his enemy. He saw an opening, thrust his staff forward, and slammed the end of the weapon against the warlord's chest. Anubis fell back, but he used the gained distance to aim low at the ronin. The weighted end of his kusarigama made a wide arc and hit Kento's left knee. The ronin faltered but managed to use his staff to maintain his balance. Kento leaned on the staff, injured but not down. Anubis, however, wasn't about to give the ronin a chance to recover.

He pulled back the weight and threw it at the ronin again, this time aiming for the boy's chest. His injured leg made him slow and Kento was unable to shift his weight in time to avoid the blow. He fell, losing his grip on the naginata as he hit the ground. Kento groaned and tried to get up, but the warlord's foot on his chest stopped him.

"You are weak," Anubis sneered at the ronin. Kento grabbed the man's ankle and tried to force him off, but the warlord only pressed harder on his chest.

"Oh no you don't," Selena muttered darkly and quickly scanned her surroundings for a weapon of some kind. Her eyes landed on the discarded chain in Anubis's hands and she grinned. She slipped quietly behind the warlord, grabbed hold of the forgotten chain, and pulled.

The sudden force caused Anubis to take several steps backward, which freed Kento. Selena felt her spirits rise, but it was short lived. A quick but powerful jerk from Anubis brought her to her knees, but she didn't let go of the chain.

His burning eyes flickered from her injured face to the weapon in her bleeding hands. "You never stop fighting." It wasn't a compliment; his mocking gaze told her that much.

"And obviously you did." Selena was disgusted. She thought he had changed.

Anubis chuckled at her pithy response. "Even now you continue to resist. It is admirable, but pointless." He jerked at the chain again, hard and snapped it from her grip.

He approached her and raised the chain above his head and twirled it. To Selena, the curved sickle attached to its end was like a mocking smile not unlike the one Anubis wore on his face.

"This fight is mine," he crowed and raised his sickle to strike her.

She raised her gaze to his; calm and defiant even in the face of her own death. He looked at her, readying his weapon to strike, and something flickered in his eyes. He waited a moment too long.

A brilliant pinpoint of light exploded against his side and Kento leaped at him.

Selena froze, shocked.

_He hesitated!_

She saw Anubis's gaze waver, noted how the sickle had shook – just a hair, but it was there – and for the briefest of moments his eyes had been their normal blue.

An armored hand grabbed her arm urgently. That brought her back to reality. Selena turned and let out a breath of relief when she saw Ryo standing next to her.

"Come on!" He said and quickly pulled her to her feet. He nodded toward Anubis. "What's happened to him?"

The warlord kicked an attacking Sage in the gut and then blocked a blow from Cye's staff with his sickle.

Selena swallowed. "He's strong. More powerful than he's ever been."

Ryo nodded. "Stay with Mia and Yuli. We'll take care of Anubis." He withdrew his swords and headed into the battle while Selena retreated to where Mia and Yuli stood with White Blaze against one of the still standing buildings.

"Selena, what happened?" Mia asked, indicating her bloody cheek and hands, but Selena waved off her concern.

"I'm fine," she said and turned her attention to the battle, watching the ronin fight their enraged opponent.

Rowen strung his bow to fire an arrow at Anubis, but the warlord saw him and threw his chain at him. It slammed into the ronin's bow, which fell from Rowen's hands and clattered to the ground. While the warlord was occupied with Rowen, Sage ran at him from behind, his sword drawn. Incredibly, Anubis heard him and turned. Instead of using his weapon like he usually did, the warlord grabbed Sage by the neck and lifted him off the ground. He grinned at the struggling ronin and tossed him forcefully aside.

Selena's mind whirled as she watched Anubis strike at the ronin again and again. He had never fought this way before, with so much strength. But even for his great strength, Selena could see that his attacks were sloppy. The ronin were having trouble keeping up with the warlord not because of the man's skill but because of his intensity. Selena's eyes narrowed. That was uncharacteristic of the warlord; she knew from her own experience that he was an intelligent warrior who always calculated his next move and attacked with precision. The warrior that she observed was in a frenzy.

Anubis threw Cye and Kento off of him and laughed. "You are all weak!" he yelled. Ryo ran at him, but the warlord only grinned. He slashed at Ryo with the sickle, striking the ronin from hip to shoulder. Ryo stumbled and fell back. The other ronin gathered around him, their bodies tense as they warily eyed Anubis.

"Man, he's strong!" Rowen said. Sage nodded. "What's got in to him?"

"I don't know," Ryo said, "but we're going to have to take him down together." He looked at each of the ronin and understanding passed between them. "Got it?" When the ronin nodded, Ryo turned back to Anubis. "Good. Let's go."

Carefully but quickly the ronin fell into place around Anubis. Rather than be alarmed, the warlord seemed to enjoy the challenge. "All of you together then? Good. This will make my task easy."

Selena watched as the ronin slid into their attack positions, their weapons at the ready. Anubis mimicked them and held his chain high.

"QUAKE WITH – "

"Now!" Ryo cried and the ronin attacked.

The world around Selena trembled at the enormous energy expended nearly simultaneously by the ronin. The street, buildings, lampposts, and abandoned cars shook, and the earth groaned. The air was heavy and crackled with energy. Then everything exploded.

The blast was silent and the only notice Selena had was a tremendous rush of hot air before she, Mia, and Yuli were thrown off their feet. They fell against White Blaze, who huddled against the thickest part of a nearby building. He roared but it was lost in the din as the rest of the building was swept away.

With one final breath the wind washed over them and dissipated. Selena sat up, absently patted thanks to White Blaze, and scanned the area for the ronin. She was up and running before she even realized it.

A bolt of dark energy flashed from the sky and Selena skidded to a stop. She narrowed her eyes at the beam.

_Talpa …_

The energy struck the center of the ronins' circle with a thunderous crack. A moment later a figure rose from the circle into the beam. Selena gasped when she saw who it was.

"Anubis!"

He lay unmoving and unaware of what was happening to him. He was unconscious, or so she hoped. There would be no reason for Talpa to take him if the warlord was dead.

As she thought this the situation became clear to her. Talpa _was_ reclaiming his warlord –

_No,_ she corrected herself. _His armor._

Selena was torn; she had to protect the secret of her armor and yet she felt strangely compelled to help Anubis. Talpa couldn't have another mystical armor, yet to help the warlord meant revealing herself, which would only aid the dynasty. Selena stomped the ground in frustration. She didn't have time to dally; Anubis was getting farther away by the second!

A moment later the decision was taken from her. A powerful shaft of light struck the beam that held Anubis and her mouth dropped open. She watched with the ronin, stunned as the golden ray easily broke the dynasty's hold on Anubis and surrounded him. An earth-shattering crash of thunder spoke of Talpa's fury at losing his prey.

Mia gasped beside her and Yuli buried his face in her jacket, but Selena ignored them. Her eyes, and that of the ronin, were riveted on a shadowy figure that was balanced on a rooftop across the street. The golden beam receded to him. When it disappeared, the figure held Anubis in his arms.

Lightning flashed behind him, briefly illuminating his features and nothing could stop the strangled gasp that escaped Selena's throat as she recognized the strange figure.

_Master?_

XX

The ronin, Mia, Selena, Yuli, and White Blaze gathered in the city's park, staring uneasily at the unknown person before them and his dangerous burden. Selena bit her lip nervously. She watched as her master carefully placed the still unconscious Anubis on the ground, wondering at his motives.

Why was he here now? Why did he show himself to Talpa? And why did he save Anubis?

The last question especially bothered her. Did her master save the warlord to stop her from transforming, or did he have other reasons for recovering Anubis? She didn't know.

Mia was the first to notice the Ancient's staff. She stiffened and grabbed Selena's arm.

"That staff!" she whispered fiercely into Selena's ear. "It's the one that saved us. What could that mean?"

Selena hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "I think it means that he's our ally."

Mia looked at the Ancient in surprise as the man turned from Anubis to the ronin. His calm gaze swept over the young warriors.

"Ryo of Wildfire, Rowen of Strata, Sage of Halo, Cye of Torrent, and Kento of Hardock … I am very pleased to see how much you've learned. You are to be commended. You have discovered the powers of your armors, and I think you are ready to fight Talpa and the dynasty."

The ronin were shocked and beside her Mia gasped.

"What do you know of the dynasty and our armors?" Ryo demanded, his hands automatically moving to his sheathed katana. Selena resisted the urge to stop him.

The Ancient turned to Ryo and the authority in that simple movement made Ryo's hands freeze mid-way to his weapon. "I understand your need for caution, but do not be alarmed. I am here to help you." He paused, smiling. "I have helped you before."

Sunlight glinted off the top of his staff, catching the ronins's attention. Cye pointed, wide-eyed, "The staff that saved us!" He looked at the Ancient in amazement. "That was you?"

"Who are you, exactly?" This came from Sage.

"I am known as Kaos, or the Ancient One. My clan has fought Talpa and his evil dynasty for generations. I know his powers; his strengths and his weaknesses." Here he looked at each of the ronin in turn and shot a quick glance toward Selena. She tensed as he turned toward her fully – was he about to reveal her?

"I am sorry for what you have suffered." He looked at Mia and Selena, including them both in his apology. Selena managed a nod that hid her confusion. Why was he apologizing? She had done what was needed of her – no matter what the cost, she thought, glancing at her hands.

Thankfully Mia spoke, which prevented Selena from having to strugge for an appropriate reply.

"My grandfather told me that once united, the armors possessed an amazing power. I now know this is true."

Selena picked up on the nuances in Mia's words, recognizing the phrase from her studies of the legend. She risked a glance at her master and saw that he was smiling slightly. He, too knew the phrase and its subtle meaning; one that Mia had obviously missed.

As usual, her master's words were poignant but vague. "The nine armors are connected to each other. Within each is contained the power to bend to either good or evil. When they are in harmony with the soul of their armor and with each other, the armors' true power will come forth."

Rowen stepped forward, a frown on his face as he spoke. "How are our armors connected to the dark warlords'?"

Selena was impressed with Rowen; he had managed to hone in on the key phrase – _the nine armors_ – as well as its critical point: the power that united the nine mystical armors. The Ancient turned away from the ronin and gazed down at Anubis's unconscious form. He spoke with a quiet authority.

"The warlords' armors are the same as your own."

Collective gasps came from the ronin and several of them unconsciously tensed. They looked alternately from Anubis to the Ancient and each other in disbelief. Kento touched his armor's symbol and Selena saw him scan Anubis, seeking a similar emblem on the warlord's armor as confusion clouded his eyes.

_Oh no_, she thought. She looked at her master and hoped that this knowledge wouldn't destroy the ronin and the world they worked to free. She decided to take control, to direct the conversation toward a positive outcome.

Selena stepped forward, her voice appropriately puzzled but laced with warning undertones that she knew her master would understand. "I thought that the armors worked according to how their wearers feel."

The Ancient gave her a subtle nod, which indicated his comprehension. "Talpa controls the four dark warlords' armors with hate. His malice has corrupted the armors, for once tainted they are easier to bend to his will." The Ancient turned back to the ronin and passed his gaze over them to emphasize the importance of his words. "Your armors are untouched. As such they are a threat to Talpa, and therefore he wishes to control them. As long as goodness flows in your heart and soul, he cannot win. But remember that Talpa will stop at nothing to control your armors with evil."

The ronins's eyes dawned with understanding – especially Kento – and Selena breathed easier. She noticed, too that her master did not tell the ronin the full truth about Talpa or the nine armors, but secretly she was glad; the Ancient's revelations were enough for now. Knowledge was good, but too much learned at the wrong time could be disastrous.

Behind the Ancient, Anubis began to stir. Selena saw the man's slow movements and her gaze flickered to her master, wondering again what he plans he had for the warlord. Anubis groaned and the ronin tensed at the sound, all five quickly withdrawing their weapons. White Blaze growled and Selena noticed that the tiger instinctively placed himself in front of Yuli, Mia, and herself. She reached down and petted the giant cat to soothe him, but it was her master's command that calmed the tiger.

"Wait!" the Ancient ordered, spreading his hands and staff protectively over Anubis. "Let me speak with him." He glanced at Selena and her eyes widened slightly at his silent command, but she nodded anyway. She glanced where Anubis was slowly sitting up; it looked like she was to play the spy.

XX

Anubis sat cross-legged on a bridge in a meditation form that the Ancient had instructed him to take. His eyes were closed and Selena watched as he breathed deeply. As per her master's orders she was present but hidden. Her eyes narrowed. She knew what Anubis was doing, for she had done it many times herself. He was clearing his mind and calming his body in preparation for the Ancient's words. When he was ready, the Ancient spoke.

"Anubis, open your heart and listen carefully to what I have to say." He paused, mindful of his next words. "Talpa doesn't care for you, does he?"

The warlord's eyes flashed in irritation, but the Ancient couldn't tell if it was directed at Talpa or himself. "I know." Those two words were nearly dragged from his lips. "But Talpa controls my life."

The Ancient cocked his head. "Your life? I think what is most important to him right now is the armor you're wearing."

"What?" The warlord gasped. "My armor? That can't be true."

"It is." Selena noted the gentleness in her master's voice and knew that he was trying to soften the blow. "Talpa has never cared about your life; it is your armor he desires."

Anubis returned his gaze to the ground, and struggled to control his raging emotions. There was desperation when he spoke. "Why does Talpa want my armor? Please tell me, what do you know?"

The Ancient paused and weighed Anubis with his gaze. After a moment he seemed to come to a decision and spoke. "They are nine parts of the same whole."

Shock and anger coursed through Selena in a sudden violent wave. She stared at her master in open disbelief. Why did he tell him that; he was a warlord, an enemy! _He already knows who I am – _

"You mean ten."

Selena glared at her master, although he could not see her. _See? Do you plan on telling him everything?_

"Christ," she muttered darkly. "We might as well invite Talpa for tea!"

The Ancient looked sharply in her direction and Selena was immediately chagrined, although no less upset. _Did he hear that?_

The Ancient glanced away and focused on Anubis. "Yes, there are ten armors. There is righteousness, life, wisdom, trust, and justice. And loyalty, piety, serenity, and obedience … and duty."

Selena's heart stopped. He told Anubis her virtue? Her mind reeled at the trust her master was showing the warlord. _Why?_

"The armors are the embodiment of human virtues," the Ancient continued. "Each armor chooses its wearer. There is a reason why the armor of Cruelty chose you." He held up his staff and Anubis followed the motion with his eyes. The orb at the end began to glow until the entire area was bathed in a white light. Selena recognized the power and ducked, pulling her body against the tree to hide from the light. She automatically covered her forehead with her arm to hide the symbol that suddenly flared there.

"Look to the light, Anubis!" Selena heard her master command and a familiar awareness flared insider her. Selena gasped; she knew that feeling – it had the same signature as that unknown cry for help! She automatically sought it out and she froze, her shock tinged with fear. It couldn't be …

Selena swallowed a strangled cry as her eyes greeted her with the truth.

Anubis stood over the bridge's wooden rail, his body tense as the golden symbol for Loyalty glared on his forehead.

_Anubis? That was him? _Selena's mind rapidly made the connection between Anubis's glowing virtue and the new consciousness that was his armor.

"He's one of us!"

She couldn't help the ironic smile that broke out over her face. Who would have thought that the warlord of Cruelty was a ronin? Selena focused on her master, her brow furrowing in confusion. _Is this what he wanted me to know? But why? _

The Ancient continued and Selena shelved her thoughts for later review. Obviously her master wasn't finished with Anubis yet.

"What you see is the soul of your armor. Your virtue is Loyalty. This means that you do what your master asks of you without question. But you have the right to choose your own master." He paused and the light from his staff faded, as did Anubis's virtue. "If you follow the true spirit of the armor, it will guard you and be faithful to you."

Quickly he returned to their original subject, knowing that his time was short. "Know that the ronin armors and that of the dark warlords all began as one. As such their spirits are connected to each other." He looked at Anubis keenly. "That is why you were able to sense the armor of Fervor, just as the ronin were able to sense you when you were in Talpa's pit."

Selena was as shocked as Anubis, although for different reasons. And she was a little ticked off. She didn't know what was more irksome: that her master had revealed the armors' secret or that he knew intimate details about both her and Anubis's ordeals thus far. Anger welled inside her. Why was he telling the warlord these things? He may not be evil but that didn't mean they could trust him. Suddenly she was irritated. Just what was the Ancient doing?

The Ancient turned and began to walk away – toward her, Selena noted with satisfaction. Good. They had a lot to talk about. She started to move from her hiding place, but Anubis' voice stopped her. The Ancient stopped as well and turned slightly toward Anubis, indicating that the man had his attention.

Anubis was hesitant. "Is this true?"

A spark of annoyance flashed through her. _Of course it's true!_ Selena thought viciously. _Do you think that he would bring you here, tell you nearly __**everything**__, and then lie?_

The Ancient smiled softly. "Look inside yourself, Anubis. You are the one who can feel it. Open your heart and be transformed by what you find there." He turned away, but continued to speak. "This is your path. Make it a journey!"

As the warlord's expression fell into confusion, a flicker of pity for the man whose world had been turned upside down briefly overrode Selena's anger. She knew how that felt; it had happened to her, once. She fell into step behind her master, and still thinking of Anubis thought how ironic it was that both of their worlds had been destroyed by the same man.

XX

"What do you plan to do?" Selena knew that it was disrespectful, but she was irritated. She couldn't believe that the Ancient told Anubis the truth about the armors; not even the ronin knew! That was critical information that he'd just entrusted to a rival!

The Ancient heard her anger but was not surprised by it; it was to be expected. He answered his student truthfully, his voice placating.

"The ronin are almost ready to face Talpa. But they will need help."

Selena ignored his efforts at peace and stared. "You can't mean – _him_?"

"Yes. Anubis is strong. He will be a powerful ally."

Her eyes flashed in annoyance. "He may not be a warlord, but he's also not one of us."

It was the first time that she'd openly referred to herself as a ronin, and Kaos wondered at that. "You know that is not true." He knew that she'd seen and felt Anubis's virtue, and was aware of his true allegiance. Still, her hesitation to accept it worried him.

Selena made a vague motion with her hand and he stopped her, catching her hand in his. He felt Selena tense briefly and then she relaxed. He turned her hand over, inspecting the cuts on her palm.

"Did Anubis do this?" The Ancient asked and glanced at the cut on her cheek.

Selena noticed his gaze and nodded. "To match the one I gave him," she said, failing to keep the scorn out of her voice.

The Ancient said nothing but unwrapped the bindings from his right arm. He tore the strip in two and quickly tied them around his student's hands. As he worked he told her, "Do not blame him for this. He was under Talpa's command."

"I know."

The Ancient glanced at her. "Then why are you against Anubis joining with the ronin?"

Selena's reply was quick. "He can't be trusted."

"Can't he?"

Selena gaped; she didn't have a response for that. She looked down at her bound hands, thinking back over her encounters with Anubis and discovered that there was something of a pattern to them. He was a ruthless warrior, that was true, but he'd also shown her some degree of respect in each of their battles. That was especially true of their more recent encounters, ever since she'd let him go. Which reminded her …

"You told him my identity." The accusation was aimed at his revelation of her virtue, but the Ancient misunderstood, thinking that she spoke of her armor.

"He already knows it. Is that what this is about?" He looked at Selena, his gaze penetrating. "Has Talpa attacked you, or any of his warlords pursued you?"

Selena shook her head. She wanted to move her eyes from her master's face, but didn't dare; she took the reprimand, knowing that by her defiance she had brought it on.

"Then it appears that he has kept your secret. Is that not reason enough to trust him?"

When she didn't respond he continued. "You realize that it would be folly to give Talpa Anubis's armor? You could benefit from his help."

Selena sighed, letting her anger go with the expelled air. She saw the wisdom in her master's reasoning, and knew that he spoke the truth – even if she didn't like it. "What do you wish me to do?"

The Ancient sensed Selena yield and knew that she was ready to accept his next task. He preferred it if she would accept this on her own, but then again, Anubis had been defiant as well. He smiled faintly. Perhaps this way was better.

"Go to him. Speak with him. Find out who he truly is."

It wasn't so much a command as encouragement. Selena heard the gentle persuasion in his voice and felt herself responding to it. She knew that she could refuse, that he would not push her, but Selena found that she wanted to talk to Anubis. She realized, with some astonishment, that she had for some time. Still, she hesitated.

Her master saw this and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was comforting. "Your instincts are good," he told her. "Trust them. Trust him."

Selena wondered at the emphasis her master placed on 'him.' Did he mean that there was something more to Anubis? She doubted that the Ancient was just sending her to chat. Curiosity as well as a bit of defiance overcame her hesitation. Selena bowed to her master, showing her deference to him and acceptance of his missive. Then she straightened, turned, and walked briskly toward the pond where they had left the newly revived ronin.

XX

Her footsteps slowed as she approached the foot of the bridge. Selena paused and swept her gaze over Anubis's still form. He stared at the water and was as yet unaware of her presence. She noted the heaviness with which he leaned against the bridge railing and the way his shoulders slumped, indicative of the man's weariness.

Internally Selena sighed, recognizing the signs of distress. She knew how he felt; she had experienced something similar once, a long time ago. She wondered if perhaps this was why the Ancient had asked her to speak to the warlord – because he knew she could sympathize with him.

She stepped on the bridge. "Anubis," she spoke, keeping her voice deliberately soft. Despite her effort the warlord tensed. He moved with caution as he turned to face her, and he eyed her warily.

Selena held her hands out beside her to show that she was not here for a fight. He glanced at her bindings and Selena wondered if he knew that he was the cause for them.

Internally she scolded herself as she remembered her master's words. Blame would result in nothing productive, and too many times had their meetings ended in injury. Selena clenched her hands and laughed quietly to herself – and often literally, at that.

Anubis heard her and his eyes narrowed, thinking she laughed at him. "Why are you here?"

There was challenge in his voice, she could hear it. Selena grinned. Good; at least he hadn't lost his spirit. Now to throw him off-balance a bit.

"I'm here to help you."

She watched as his eyes widened first in shock, then confusion, and finally settled on wariness. "How can you help me?"

"I've been in your place before." Selena thought that a little truth would catch his attention, feed at his curiosity enough for him to lower his guard. She was right. Anubis relaxed slightly in surprise, although he was still largely alert.

"What do you mean?"

"My world was turned upside down once. I was …" she hesitated. How much was she wiling to tell him? "I was given a choice. Not an easy one, but they rarely are. So I chose."

Anubis hesitated but he couldn't stop himself from asking, "What did you choose?"

Selena smiled. "To go on a journey."

Anubis glanced sharply at Selena, and wondered if she knew the import of her words.

_**This is your path**_, the Ancient had told him. _**Make it a journey!**_

A flash of insight told him that there was another meaning in her reply. "You chose to become a ronin."

Selena was shocked but impressed; he'd figured that out on remarkably few clues. She nodded and joined him next to the railing, noting that though he kept his gaze on her he did not back away. It was a measure of their trust, shaky though it was.

"Yes. The armor chose me, but I did not have to accept it."

Anubis spoke so quietly that she almost missed it. "Talpa was with me when I first became aware of my armor."

Selena felt a thrill of elation at his admission, but was conscious of his words. She looked at him, careful to keep her face free from judgment. "Talpa found you, and you served him?"

Anubis nodded, his eyes closing in painful remembrance. "Yes."

They were silent for a moment as she gave him the time to compose himself, and then she spoke. "The Ancient was correct; you have the right to choose." She turned and looked at him. "You are a ronin, if you choose to be."

Anubis stiffened in surprise. "A … ronin?"

Terrible lightning rent the air and flashed around them, spoiling the moment. Selena and Anubis turned, their reflexes readying their bodies for attack. Selena's eyes narrowed as multiple strikes hit the earth in a nearly perfect circle around them. This was no ordinary storm.

Lightning flashed again, making visible three sinister silhouettes. Anubis saw them first and groaned. "Not them!" Suddenly the lightning stopped and an eerie silence covered the park. This bothered Selena more than the storm, and she immediately became more alert.

A noise came from the opposite shore and Selena turned that way, gazing at the spot with narrowed eyes. Heavy footsteps approached and Sekhmet appeared. He walked to the shore's edge and stopped.

"Hello, Anubis," his deep voice rumbled.

"We've come to get you."

Selena felt Anubis tense beside her. She snapped her head to her left, somewhat surprised to see Dais hanging from an invisible web between two trees. It was creepy, actually. She heard something approach from their right and this time Selena knew who it was. Cale. Sure enough, it was the warlord of Corruption who spoke next. He smiled grimly at the pair, and his dark eyes glittered dangerously as he glanced at Selena.

"I see that you've brought us a toy. Master Talpa will be pleased."

He was mocking her, but even so it irritated Selena. She stepped forward, a barbed reply on her lips, but Anubis stepped between her and Cale. Selena was surprised – and a little annoyed – at the protective gesture.

"I no longer serve your master. Your journey here is pointless."

Selena glanced at Anubis, slightly shocked by his resolve. So he'd decided to join the ronin; her master would be pleased.

Sekhmet laughed. "I don't think so, Anubis. We have our orders."

Dais dropped from his place between the trees. "You _are_ coming with us, willingly or not." He started to walk toward the bridge, but Selena cut him off.

"I don't think so!"

The steely determination in her voice gave the warlords pause. Her gaze was threatening. "He's not going anywhere with you."

She saw the shocked look on their faces, none the more so than Anubis. It was true that she didn't trust him fully, but she had her orders and she _would not_ let the dynasty capture a ronin, not even a reformed one.

Out of the corner of her eye Selena saw Cale make a slight movement toward Anubis. She pushed the man out of the way and stepped in front of him to make her point. The warlords paused, took in her defensive stance and Anubis's startled look, and laughed.

"What is this, Anubis? Do you need women to fight your battles for you now?"

Selena glowered at the warlords; they had no idea what she was capable of. Her bandaged hand started to slip into her pocket, but a restraining hand on her shoulder stopped her. She twisted towards Anubis; saw the warning in his eyes.

"Don't." He shook his head. "It's not worth it."

The warlords misunderstood the exchange and continued to jeer Selena. She glanced at the three, silently appraising them.

_This isn't good_, she thought. Anubis was strong, but the warlords had the advantage. _We're going to need help_. She quickly gathered some of her power and called for assistance. She felt Anubis stiffen as the message was released, and noted that he sensed her. Good. Hopefully the ronin did, too.

Mistaking her silence for a refusal to submit, the warlords lost their patience.

"Then share his fate, you foolish girl!"

As one the warlords attacked. Dais's eyes flashed, signaling his use of an illusion and the two kama that he threw at Anubis turned into six. However Anubis saw through the trick and deflected the sharp blades with his sleeve armor. He grabbed one and turned, using the blade to stop a blow from Cale.

Sekhmet unsheathed one of his katana, jumped into the air and landed on the bridge behind Selena with a heavy 'thud.' Selena turned and ducked a swipe from the warlord. She swiftly removed her jacket, threw the material over the warlord's sword, and twisted, pulling on both blade and jacket. Her maneuver forced Sekhmet to release the weapon, which Selena quickly turned and struck at the warlord. He easily blocked her with another sword, and unseen by Selena, grabbed a katana in his free hand. Without hesitating, Sekhmet swiped low at her hip.

Too late Selena realized what Sekhmet was doing, but she wasn't the only one who'd seen the warlord's move. There was a clash of metal and Anubis was there, his borrowed kama pressed against Sekhmet's blade. Unfortunately this move opened Anubis to attack. Seeing the opportunity, Cale quickly stepped in and plunged his claws deep into Anubis's exposed side.

The warlords laughed as Anubis crumpled to the ground. Before they had a chance to step towards him, Selena positioned herself in front of the fallen warlord. She still held Sekhmet's sword and raised it threateningly at the three warlords before her.

"It is foolish of you to resist us," Dais scoffed.

"Stand aside," Sekhmet ordered. "This is not your concern." He stepped towards Selena. Her grip on his sword tightened, and then she experienced the strangest sense of déjà vu as a golden arrow struck the warlord, forcing him to take a step back.

"What?" The warlords turned and their eyes narrowed in loathing when they caught sight of Rowen standing in a tree with his bow and arrow readied and aimed at them for another shot.

"Get away from them!" Rowen yelled. "Right now!"

Ryo, Kento, Sage, and Cye leaped from their hiding places and surrounded the warlords. Selena smiled, relief filling her at their appearance. It seemed that they got her message – and just in time.

"Leave them alone!" Ryo yelled, unsheathing his katana.

"Don't worry about Anubis," Cale sneered. "We'll take care of him!"

"He may not serve Talpa, but we can still use him!"

Selena looked sharply at Dais. What did he mean by that? She risked a glance at Anubis.

_Talpa wants his armor … but why does he need Anubis?_ She shook her head. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. She was resolved to not let him go. Apparently the ronin were of the same mind, because Ryo shot back: "He's staying with us!"

The warlords stepped forward and the ronin attacked. Selena noticed how the ronin worked to draw the warlords away from herself and Anubis, and she was impressed with their response; they were aware of their purpose and they were working as a team. The warlords fell back under their assault and Selena smiled; the Ancient was right – they were ready to face Talpa.

A groan behind her told her that Anubis was waking up. She turned and saw that he was staring at the battle in open disbelief. Selena found that she couldn't blame him; the situation was … strange. Hours earlier the ronin battled against Anubis, and now they fought to protect him! Selena looked down at the man next to her. And he had saved her – even though earlier he'd tried to kill her. Selena sighed. God, this day was confusing.

"They fight … for me?"

Selena detected the awe in his voice and she turned to him. The movement caught his attention and Anubis's eyes automatically went to the sword in her hands, her possession of the blade and her defensive stance answering his question easily enough. Their gazes locked, and even though neither said anything, it was enough.

Anubis's eyes widened and only his quick yell of "Selena!" saved her. She turned, automatically bringing up her sword to defend herself – and nearly collapsed under the power of Sekhmet's attack. He struck with two of his katana with such force that it made her teeth rattle. He withdrew and just as quickly slammed the hilt of one blade against her hand. Selena cried out and dropped her sword. But the warlord wasn't done. The blade had barely left her hand when he lashed out and kicked her viciously in the stomach.

Selena fell.

She landed hard against the end of the bridge and when she managed to lift her head to look back, the warlords and Anubis were gone.

Fighting back tears and gasping for breath, she swore. The unthinkable had happened: the dynasty had a ronin armor.


	11. The Ancient's Sacrifice

This chapter is shorter than the others, but it covers some essential plot points. Enjoy!

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Ten**_

A vicious punch knocked Anubis to the floor. He coughed and spit out a mouthful of blood, then doubled over as an armored foot connected with his injured side. He clutched his wound and screamed, but the men around him didn't care.

Sekhmet spoke first. "You betrayed us, Anubis."

"And we don't forgive traitors." Dais's silky voice penetrated the darkness and through the pain Anubis could feel the warlord sizing him up, waiting to strike.

"What did you tell that girl?" Cale demanded. When he didn't respond quick enough, the warlord gave him a swift kick in the back. Anubis groaned, and blinking sweat and blood away from his eyes, glared darkly at the shadowy figures around him.

"You are mistaken. I am not your enemy; Talpa is controlling you!"

"Silence!"

"You lie!"

Cale peered down at Anubis, his gaze keen. "What did that girl say to you, Anubis? You are different."

For once Anubis was glad that they could not see his face, for the surprise that showed there would have betrayed him. Did Cale refer to the recent battle? Or did he know more about his encounters with Selena? Anubis frowned. Cale was a sly one who'd been after him for a long time. It would be foolish to underestimate the warlord. He would need to proceed with caution.

Dais had grown impatient. "Tell us, traitor!" He yelled, emphasizing his words with a slash that cut the skin on Anubis's face.

Anubis grit his teeth at the pain, his hatred for his former subordinates burning hotly within. "She said nothing! She doesn't trust me!"

"And yet she nearly died for you. Why do you protect her? What is she to you?"

"Nothing!" Anubis cried, trying to cover his mistake. But the warlords weren't buying it. Sekhmet hauled him to his feet and Dais roughly bound his hands. Cale stepped in front of him and sneered at his former commander.

"We shall see about that. Bring him to Master Talpa!" he ordered and the two warlords hastily complied.

They threw him on the floor before their master; Cale and Sekhmet each gripped an arm while Dais pulled roughly at his hair, forcing Anubis to look at the figure before him. Anubis tried to ignore the pain, but his body was tired and he was finding it difficult to stay focused. He swayed on his knees and only a rough jerk from Dais kept him conscious. He stared blearily at Talpa but could detect nothing from the expressionless kabuto gazing back at him. He felt a sudden surge of loathing for this demon that had taken so much from him: his life, his power, and his choice to leave.

"Talpa," he spit out, and the word was more of an insult than an acknowledgement. He blanched when Cale slapped him, but otherwise did not take his eyes off of his former master.

"You dare speak to Master Talpa that way!"

"He is no longer my master," Anubis retorted, his voice a low growl.

Behind him Dais gasped. "Insubordinate!" He withdrew a small blade to issue punishment, but Talpa's amused laughter stayed his hand.

"Do not bother, Dais. These are empty words from a defeated man." Talpa shifted his gaze back to Anubis. "You think you are no longer my servant, that you are free?" He laughed. "Fool. You gave me your soul. Your heart may beat against me, but your soul is mine!"

"No, you are just using me. It is my armor that you want."

"I see that you have been speaking with that monk. With your armor you are powerful, but it is not the only thing that I need from you. You will serve me, willingly or not." Talpa laughed, and this time the sound was cruel. "You are mine, now and forever!"

XX

Selena stared dumbly at the spot where Anubis had been while the full impact of what had just happened slowly seeped into her awareness. This was not good. The dynasty now had a ronin armor in its possession, which meant a number of very not-good things for the ronin. They needed to act quickly before the dynasty had the chance to discover just what they'd acquired.

They needed to make the first move.

Slowly Selena stood up. She ignored her aching stomach and shuffled over to retrieve her discarded jacket. As she bent to pick it up she felt a heated gaze on her, and she closed her eyes in a silent prayer for patience. It was Ryo, most likely about to berate her for doing something that he thought was extremely stupid or unnecessary.

_Tell that to the Ancient_, she thought somewhat bitterly. _I'm sure he would love to explain that I was just following orders._

She straightened and turned. Yep, it was Ryo and he was giving her his patented disappointed/exasperated glare. Selena could tell that he was about to go off, so, dusting her jacket off, she headed him off.

"Thank you for defending Anubis."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because it only made the ronin more upset. "Anubis? Selena, we were defending you!"

She frowned, wondering why he'd excluded Anubis. "Why?"

Ryo misunderstood her meaning. He looked at her like she was crazy. "Why? You're our friend and the warlords would have killed you!" He gave her an odd look. "Are you alright?"

This got the attention of the other ronin. "Why were you protecting Anubis anyway?" Rowen asked. "He's a warlord; one of them."

"Was a warlord," Selena corrected. "Just before Cale and the others showed up he'd decided to join us."

"Wait," Kento said. "Are you saying that Anubis is good now?"

Selena hesitated. Did she think that Anubis was sincere in his declaration? Yes. Did she think that he was completely reformed? No. She shook her head. "I don't know."

"Do you trust him?" This came from Cye.

She was saved from having to answer by the Ancient, who emerged from the woods and walked toward the group. Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze were behind him.

"You should all trust him," he said, his gentle but powerful voice carrying across the pond. "His heart is pure, but Talpa will seek once more to corrupt him with his evil." He looked at each of the ronin. "Talpa craves the power of Anubis's armor, just as he craves all of your armors."

Ryo nodded. "All right. Then we'll go to the castle and defeat Talpa."

"He won't control us," Sage said.

"Talpa's castle is a dark place, filled with evil and hate. There are hidden dangers which you have not yet faced, and Talpa's minions will be powerful in his domain," the Ancient warned.

"We don't care!" Kento exclaimed. "We've sworn to save this world, and that's exactly what we're gonna do!"

"But how're you gonna get in?" Yuli asked.

"Yuli's right," Mia said. "The last time we tried we got separated in that dense fog."

Selena was about to suggest that they just try again and find the castle gates, but thought better of it for two reasons: first, she wasn't supposed to know about the gates and second, walking through the front gates was a surefire way to get themselves killed. As usual, the Ancient provided the answer.

"I will be the bridge to Talpa's domain."

Selena jerked her head toward the monk, automatically concerned at the regret that laced his words. _Master, what are you planning?_

XX

They took shelter in an underpass that ran beneath the park as the ronin rested and gathered their strength for the upcoming assault on the dynasty. Yuli slept next to Mia, who was resting on a bench in the tunnel while Selena leaned against a wall. The ronin were scattered about the tunnel, talking amongst themselves.

"Once we get inside the castle, we'll need to remember what the Ancient told us," Sage said. "The dynasty is full of evil; who knows what we'll encounter. We need a plan."

Kento waved off his friend's concern. "Man, the five of us can handle anything the dynasty throws at us."

"Be careful, Kento." Rowen said. "The Ancient said that our enemies would be more powerful. That includes the warlords."

Kento just shrugged. "They're not that bad; we've beaten them plenty of times. It makes you wonder why Talpa hasn't just come after us himself."

Selena opened her eyes, a terrible thought occurring to her at the ronin's unintentional insight. She shifted her gaze to meet her master's and the Ancient nodded at her unspoken request. He gathered his staff and quietly left the tunnel with Selena following close behind. Engrossed in their own conversation, the ronin didn't even notice that they'd left.

The Ancient walked until he was certain that they would not be overheard. He turned to Selena and calmly waited for her to speak. She got straight to the point.

"It's a trap." She thought that her master would be surprised to hear this, but his expression never changed. Wondering about that and beginning to worry, Selena continued. "Talpa wants the ronin to come to him; he's more powerful within the dynasty and he knows that the ronin will stop at nothing to defeat him." She squeezed her hands anxiously, ignoring the pain this action caused. "It's a ploy to get to the armors."

The Ancient didn't sound the least bit surprised. "Of course. How else would you expect Talpa to act?"

Selena stared at her master, eyes wide with shock. "You mean you knew? And you're going to send them in there without telling them?"

"They know that Talpa wants their armors, and that it is dangerous for him to obtain them." The Ancient took a step toward his student. "Selena, this is how it must happen. Talpa will not leave the safety of the dynasty. He knows that the ronin will come to him, but now they are armed with knowledge that can save them."

"So we're just going to walk right into the trap?"

"The best way to deal with a trap is to spring the trap." The Ancient gave her a sly smile. "Think of it as something that I learned from you."

Selena smiled back. "That's not entirely fair," she said. "You're the one who gave me reason to notice traps in the first place."

"Yes," the Ancient said, looking fondly at his student. "You have grown much since then; far beyond my greatest expectations."

The smile faded from Selena's face at her master's words; she did not like what she sensed behind them and it reminded her of his cryptic statement to the ronin earlier.

"Master – " she began but he interrupted her.

"Selena, there is something you must know." The Ancient paused and for the first time in the many years that she'd known him he looked tired and frail. The sudden change in his demeanor immediately put Selena on edge. He didn't appear to notice her alarm and his with his next breath dispensed his hesitation. The feeble man disappeared, and Selena found herself facing the quietly confident master she knew so well.

"The battle against Talpa will not be easy and the demon is in command of many tricks." Here he paused again and put emphasis on his next words. "The greatest treasure is the key to Talpa's defeat." He locked eyes with Selena. "Without this, the demon cannot be overcome."

Now Selena was seriously worried. "Master, I don't understand. What do you – ?"

She never received an answer. The Ancient grasped his staff, which glowed until it covered the Ancient and Selena was forced to shield her eyes. When she looked again, the Ancient was gone.

XX

The Ancient reappeared in a street across from the park. The old monk slowly approached the center of the deserted street and searched the dark skies. He held his staff aloft and then firmly planted it against the ground, its six rings jingling from the action.

The clouds above melted away to reveal the dark castle of the dynasty. Resolute in his decision, the Ancient planted his staff against the ground a second time. It was a clear challenge, and Talpa was only too glad to answer it.

The demon emperor's floating kabuto appeared before the Ancient, and Talpa glared down at his adversary in scorn. He laughed at his opponent's pitiful state; he dared stand against him with nothing more than a useless staff?

"I delightfully accept the ronin armors that you are so graciously preparing for me."

The barb hit home and Talpa was pleased to see its effect on the monk. "The ronin armors will never fall into your hands!"

"You forget that I already have one. Your attempt to sway Anubis to your side failed. He serves me even now. With his help I will have the other five."

"The ronin armors guard the mortal world now, which you will never rule!" The Ancient pointed his staff at Talpa. The end glowed and shot several blasts of light toward the demon.

They went straight through Talpa, striking the buildings behind him. The demon laughed. "I am not impressed, monk. After all these years you have grown weak." Talpa's eyes glowed a deadly red and twin lasers hurtled toward the Ancient.

The Ancient dodged the attack, but only just. Fire spread from where the beams touched the pavement and quickly encircled the monk.

"Talpa!" The Ancient cried in warning. "Do not doubt the powers of the armors. Even if you destroy me, they will surely destroy you!"

"Say what you will, monk. The armors will be mine and you will not live to see the end of this world. Die!"

XX

"The Ancient has disappeared!" Selena shouted as she ran into the tunnel. The ronin looked at her in surprise.

"Yeah we know. He just left – "

"No!" The ronin fell silent at the desperation in her voice and Mia got up from the bench, waking Yuli. "I mean he literally disappeared. His staff glowed – there was a light – and then he was gone. We have to find him!"

"Where is he?"

"I don't know! But something bad is going to happen and _we need to find him._ Now!"

The ronin looked at Selena, and all of them were worried. They had never seen her this panicked, this unnerved before and it alarmed them all. What could possibly get her this worked up?

A distant rumble like that of a thunder crash grabbed their attention. Selena listened for a second one to determine what direction it came from, and then she sped out of the tunnel. She didn't wait for the ronin; she just ran.

XX

Selena rounded a corner and her heart nearly stopped at the sight before her. A giant floating kabuto that could only be Talpa was spewing a fiery substance at her master, who was surrounded by flames and fought off the attack with his staff. A burst of light aimed at Talpa's face abruptly ended that phase of the attack, and in one swift and graceful arc of the staff, the fire around him went out. It was replaced with five interlocking points that glowed brightly in the darkness.

In the moment that she saw the symbol, Selena realized what her master was going to do. She took a step toward him and the street exploded in a brilliant white-blue light. She heard her master scream and her heart screamed with him.

"NO!" She screamed and despite the danger to herself she took another step forward. Before she could move any farther a restraining hand stopped her.

"What is he doing?"

She distantly recognized the voice as Sage's, but Selena could not tear her eyes away from her master, who was in the center of the swirling storm of light. Then his voice appeared in their heads.

_Ronin warriors, do not give up. Defeat the dynasty using the powers of righteousness, trust, wisdom, life, and justice._

To Selena he spoke three words: _Forgive me, Gakuto._

"NO!" Selena screamed, but the overwhelming power of her desire could not stop the storm as it fell upon her master. He disappeared in the light, which erupted and shot from the spot where he'd stood and rose into the sky as an endless tunnel of light.

Without even realizing that she did it, Selena ran toward the light, dimly aware of the arms and hands that restrained her. She fought viciously against them, and when her awareness of her master slipped away, she lost the ability to stand. She fell to the ground; the startled arms withdrawing from her, gave into her tears, and grieved for her loss.

* * *

_**Notes**_

_Gakuto_ has several meanings, including 'student', 'follower', or 'disciple.' In this case, all three meanings work for Selena, because she was the Ancient's student and disciple.


	12. Raid on Talpa's Castle

Hey all! I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving! I apologize for the late update; I took a break over the holidays that put me behind schedule. Totally my fault, I know. But hopefully this will make it up, even if it's just a little. Enjoy! And thanks for reading!

* * *

_**Eleven**_

The three dark warlords dropped to their knees before Talpa. They had watched his battle with the strange monk and were in awe of their master's strength. His victory bolstered their own determination to eliminate the ronin and pave the way for their master's rule over this world. But to do that they needed strength that they did not have themselves; they needed their master's power.

_Anubis is wrong_, Cale thought bitterly. _We need Master Talpa_.

He raised his head to speak, but Talpa ignored him. The demon laughed in triumph, and although they were pleased with their master's victory the depth of his elation unnerved them. Why was he so happy? It was just a monk.

Recalling a thought that had occurred to him as he watched Talpa fight the monk, Cale wondered what it was about the monk that had provoked his master enough to leave the dynasty. What kind of threat would worry Talpa so much that he'd risk exposure to the ronin, his greatest enemies?

And then there was that woman. She'd acted strangely when the monk died, and Anubis was keeping something about her from them.

_There must be a connection_, he thought. _And Anubis knows what it is._

His master's obvious delight at the monk's death furthered Cale's suspicions. Too many things pointed at the monk and hinted at some unknown threat that Cale felt, without a doubt, loomed in the near future. His gaze hardened. Anything that threatened the dynasty had to be eliminated.

Talpa's laughs faded and when he felt it was safe enough to do so, Cale spoke. "Master, we congratulate you on your victory. But the ronin are still alive. We wish to fight them."

"But we need your power to do it," Sekhmet finished for him.

Talpa considered the trio silently. "You think that you are ready? Even my most trusted lieutenant could not handle the power of the dynasty."

Dais spat, "Anubis is weak. We will not fail you, master."

"Please, give us the chance to destroy the ronin!"

Talpa paused and when he spoke his voice was pleased. "Very well. I shall give you the dynasty's dark power. But do not fail me!" He laughed and spoke to his recently vanquished enemy, even though he was far beyond Talpa's grasp. "Stupid monk! You thought you could defeat me. Now your precious ronin will fall, and this world with them!"

He laughed once more and the warlords couldn't help but shudder at its dark sound. Energy wrapped around them and Cale sensed that it would take them to the place where they would be bestowed with the dynasty's power. But when the others left, he remained. He had to speak with Talpa first.

It didn't take Talpa long to notice that a warlord was still in the throne room.

"Cale, why are you here? Do you no longer wish to receive my power?"

Cale heard the latent threat in his master's voice and couldn't help the fear that crept into his heart. He bowed his head and averted his eyes in what he hoped was the proper amount of supplication.

"Master, I am concerned that not all the threats to the dynasty have been identified."

"The monk is dead. He can bother us no more."

"Yes, master. But what of the girl? The one that turned Anubis? I think that she may be dangerous."

The demon's eyes flashed in warning. "You dare suggest that a mortal could ever be a threat to the dynasty?"

Cale cringed under the anger directed at him. "Master, I believe that she is somehow connected to the monk. I watched her during the battle. Her grief over his death was – "

Talpa abruptly cut his subordinate off, clearly annoyed. "It is nothing more than weak human emotions. The girl is of no concern to us; it is the ronin that are the real threat."

Cale heard what his master was saying, understood his logic, but still he could not deter his feeling that something wasn't right about the woman's reaction. It didn't make sense, and that bothered him. "But Anubis knows something about her. He's protecting her – a secret or some knowledge that could – "

A wave of fury washed over him, and Cale shut up. Talpa glared at him. "Cale, do not make the same mistake that Anubis made. His obsession with that mortal woman is what turned him against us. She is nothing more than a ruse to distract us from the ronin. Once they fall this world will be mine and she will be then exactly what she is now: nothing."

Cale nodded, sufficiently mollified. Talpa practically growled, "Now go!" and the warlord disappeared in a ball of blackness, glad to escape his master's wrath.

XX

Selena's grief was so deep, so raw that she thought she would choke from it. Her master, the one stable thing in her life for three years, was gone. She didn't know what to do and so she just stayed where she'd collapsed, kneeling on the ground and staring at the spot where her master had fallen.

The ronin stared at Selena, each unsure of how to respond to her sudden meltdown while they tried to understand what had just happened.

"I can't believe that the Ancient is dead," Kento said, his voice filled with disbelief. He didn't notice the way Selena's shoulders shook as a dry sob escaped her, but Cye and Ryo did.

Kento's words were like the final nail in the coffin. It was a horrible analogy, but it was true. The part of Selena that was in denial couldn't ignore the truth of her friend's statement. Plus, in a strange way, it was somewhat comforting to know that someone else was just as shocked about the Ancient's sacrifice as she was.

Gradually she became aware of another person's arms around her. Selena blinked, shocked to find that she was still crying, and turned to see that it was Mia that held her. Selena found a grief in the woman's gaze that echoed her own, and she recognized it as empathy from one who'd been in her place. Selena remembered Mia's grief when her grandfather died and how she'd comforted her then. She returned the woman's embrace, a grateful gesture between two friends who shared a common sorrow.

Cye and Ryo glanced at each other and then at Selena in concern. Everyone was stunned by the Ancient's death and they all felt his loss, but the depth of her pain was alarming. It was also odd; why would she be this upset over someone she barely knew?

His concern for his friend won out over his curiosity, and Ryo was mindful of his next words. "He had faith in us. It was his guidance that brought us to the place we are now."

It was Ryo's way of respecting the Ancient's sacrifice and Selena's grief. It was also a subtle reminder that the ronin had a mission to accomplish. The urgency to continue their fight outweighed their companion's need to mourn.

Selena heard him and knew that he was right. She struggled to contain her emotions – it wasn't easy, since part of her wanted nothing more than to scream and yell and cry – but she eventually managed. She pulled away from Mia, determined to stay focused on their mission. Defeating Talpa was the priority; she would mourn later.

Sage agreed with Ryo. "The Ancient is inside us, so let's go show Talpa just how strong that spirit is!"

Yuli frowned. Selena's sadness had frightened him; he had never seen her this upset before. But he understood that the ronin were preparing to leave; he just didn't understand how.

"But how are you going to get into the castle? It's in the sky!"

A noise from the front of the group turned everyone's attention that way. It was Selena. She stood up and faced the group. Her face was flushed and her eyes red from crying, but her gaze was hard.

She pointed to the giant whirling pillar behind them. "That's how you'll get to Talpa; it's the bridge to his castle."

The ronin gasped. "'I'll be the bridge to Talpa's domain,'" Ryo intoned, repeating the Ancient's words from earlier that day.

Kento looked slightly ill. "We never thought – "

"That he meant it literally?" Selena couldn't help the bitterness that slipped into her voice. She gave a half-laugh. For a moment she looked like she was going to cry again, but she managed to control herself and continued. "Apparently he did."

"Okay," Ryo said, deliberately overlooking Selena's sarcasm. "We're going in."

"Yeah," Rowen agreed. "We can't waste the Ancient's death. He sacrificed himself for us, and we need to honor that by getting rid of Talpa once and for all!"

Ryo turned to Mia. "Mia, Yuli, Selena, I want you guys to stay here."

"I know," Mia smiled faintly. "It's for the best." She glanced at Selena, who listened to the conversation though her gaze was distant as she was lost in thought.

Ryo followed her gaze and frowned. "Yeah," he said, his voice quiet. He turned to White Blaze. "Take care of them, okay boy?" The tiger yipped and nuzzled his master's hand.

"Be careful, Ryo!" Yuli said and the ronin smiled at the boy. "Don't worry, we will." He walked toward the other ronin and stopped next to Selena. Standing in front of her he took her bandaged hand and gently squeezed, careful not to hurt her.

"I'm sorry, Selena," he said. He gave her hand another squeeze and left, joining his companions. Selena stared after him, shocked. He didn't – couldn't – know why she grieved and yet his apology was entirely sincere. It was touching, and she smiled.

"Good luck, Ryo! Everyone!" She yelled after them, Yuli and Mia joining her in her well wishes. She smiled faintly and thought of her master. She was lucky to have such good friends.

The ronin waved, then turned and facing the giant blue pillar of light, they jumped inside.

XX

Talpa felt them as soon as they entered the bridge.

"So you think to challenge me, little ronin?" He sounded amused. "See if you can get into my castle, first! Nether Spirits arise!"

At his command a dozen shadowy figures rose from the dark corners of the room and floated before him. They looked like jagged shadows and had no discernable features other than two appendages that served as arms, from which hung tattered, transparent shrouds that blended in with the darkness and curled and twisted like smoke in an invisible wind. Where their faces should be there were only three dark, sunken impressions: two for the eyes and one for the mouth.

They faced the demon emperor silently, waiting for orders.

"Seek the ronin warriors," Talpa told them. "Feast on their flesh, but leave the armors. Go!"

The shadows slipped away as suddenly as they'd come and headed toward their prey, with nothing but death in their sight.

XX

Yuli saw them first. "What's that?" he asked, pointing at some point high on the pillar. Mia peered in the direction he showed and gasped. "What are those things?"

Selena, who'd been silent since the ronin entered the pillar, looked up. It was hard to see because it was already so dark from the fortress in the clouds, but she could just make out several shadowy figures hovering around the pillar where the ronin were inside. When they broke off and surrounded the pillar in a precise formation, Selena immediately paled.

"Nether Spirits!" she half-choked, half-yelled, fear pulling at her heart.

"What are Nether Spirits?" Yuli asked, clearly not understanding why Selena was so concerned.

"They are the embodiment of evil, born from hate, bitterness, and sorrow. They are very powerful and very hard to combat."

"Why?"

"Because they destroy your will to fight. They are so full of negative energy that you want to give up. And when you have no will left, they kill you."

Yuli gasped and Mia looked sick.

"Oh no! What about the ronin? Will they be okay?"

In answer, tendrils of lightning struck the pillar and snaked down the sides of the bridge. The Nether Spirits were testing the pillar's defense. Seconds later they struck again, this time forming a giant circle around the pillar. An eerie green light connected each spirit and as one they attacked. Green light struck the pillar, aiming for the warriors trapped inside.

"They're trying to destroy the bridge!" Mia cried.

Selena watched, her anger rising as the pillar's blue light flickered against the spirits' onslaught. How dare the dynasty try to destroy the last remnant of her master, his final gift to the ronin whom he believed in so much!

Selena clenched her fists and released some of her pent-up anger.

"To hell with you, Talpa!" She screamed. "I won't allow you to have the armors, ever!"

She had a mission, and it did not end with her master's death.

In a sudden burst of clarity and pure determination, Selena summoned her power. The soul of her armor immediately responded to her call. She held her hands in front of her and at her command the power burst from her and headed toward the pillar.

For a moment the power was visible as a brilliant golden light, then it disappeared from sight but its strength was palpable. The energy struck the pillar and the swirling column instantly reacted to the new force.

The ronins' armors responded to Selena's and their energies flared, turning the pillar into a myriad of flashing colors. Working together, the armors' powers lashed out at the Nether Spirits. Their circle broke and the phantoms disintegrated in an explosion that was blinding even to the small group meters below on the ground.

Selena breathed a sigh of relief. At least the ronin would be safe. She turned around and found herself confronted with Mia and Yuli's startled faces. She blinked, confused for a moment and then belatedly realized that they'd seen everything.

_Oh, hell. _

XX

Talpa was not pleased with the Nether Spirits failure to destroy the ronin. He growled and the castle rumbled around him.

"Damn you, Kaos. You continue to resist me even through your death." An image of the ronin inside the pillar was before him, showing the ronin coming ever closer to his domain.

"You may be helping them, monk," he spit the word like an obscenity, "but they are still mine!"

With those ominous words, Talpa shimmered and was gone.

XX

The warlords screamed, but no sound came from them; their throats were too sore to manage it. They were in a giant pit filled with a deep red substance that clung to them. Thin tendrils grabbed at them, and though they were thin they were stronger than any bindings they had ever encountered. They held the warlords, and deep inside they knew that they were trapped.

They could not escape the darkness.

Dark energy poured from the red substance and into their armors. The pain was excruciating, and it was only sheer will that kept the three from passing out. Cale yelled as another wave of darkness penetrated his armor. Beside him Dais and Sekhmet did the same, but Cale didn't react; he had long since lost the ability to hear their screams.

Through it all, one thought occurred to each of them: How had Anubis managed to stand this for two days?

Another sticky tendril attached itself to each of the warlords. As the pain shot through them – it was so intense that they went numb – each man regretted, just for an instant, that he had ever asked for this.

But beyond the pain they could feel the power. They wanted it, and so they endured.

XX

Mia and Yuli gaped at Selena in disbelief.

"You – " Mia began, but Selena didn't let her finish.

"Not yet," she said, and it was half a plea, half an order. "I'll explain everything soon, but just not yet. We have to get to the ronin first."

As she spoke she headed toward the pillar. Standing in front of it, Selena turned to see that Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze were still staring at her. She pretended that their hesitation was because of her insinuation that they should go inside the giant twirling pillar that had just been attacked by Nether Spirits in order to enter a demonic dynasty, and not because of her newly revealed power.

When they still didn't move, Selena sighed. "Fine," she said, a bit disappointed but not surprised by their reaction. "I understand." She turned away, whispered a brief prayer to center herself and entered the swirling column.

XX

"Warlords!" Talpa commanded, appearing above them in the same pit that had held Anubis merely days before. The three warlords looked up at their master, grateful for the respite from the pit and the darkness it held.

"The ronin are approaching the castle. You will meet them, and crush them."

They looked at their master in surprise.

"What? But how?" Sekhmet asked.

"It appears that monk is still protecting them. Go now. Do not let them into the castle!"

The red liquid that clung to the warlords reacted as Talpa spoke. It bubbled and churned, activating the dynasty's power inside the warlords. As the dark energy consumed them their screams turned into battle cries.

The warlords bowed to Talpa and, their eyes glowing with bloodlust, disappeared in a black wave to meet the invading ronin.

XX

A ferocious battle greeted Selena. She landed on the castle grounds with a 'thud,' her feet hitting the cobblestones so hard that a flash of pain shot up her legs. She ignored this and immediately twisted to her left as a dynasty soldier swiped at her with a wicked lance.

Apparently the ronin had been here long enough for the dynasty to post guards at the bridge because another soldier appeared behind Selena's shoulder with his weapon raised high, ready to strike.

Selena saw him out of the corner of her eye, ducked and spun, and kicked the soldier hard in the chest. He stumbled and dropped his weapon which Selena quickly grabbed, and with one swift thrust shoved the sword into the demon's face. He crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Selena didn't waste any time; two more soldiers were headed toward her, including the one who'd attacked her earlier with the lance. Behind them she could see the ronin battling with the warlords, who were fighting better than usual. Sekhmet knocked over a wooden guard tower and threw it at Kento and Cye. Selena raised an eyebrow at this, surprised by the man's strength but didn't have time to think about it. She returned her attention to the soldiers in front of her. Selena grinned and gripped her borrowed weapon.

"Bring it on, boys."

Her lance-wielding friend attacked first. He ran at her, the tip of his weapon pointed at her chest. He thrust at her but Selena jumped back and swung her sword so that the blade hit the lance's point with enough force to knock it away. While she was busy with Lance Man, the other solider, who held a kusarigama released his weapon.

He was smarter than his companion, for he aimed to immobilize Selena by binding her legs. Selena, however, had had plenty of practice with this trick from Anubis and recognized the move as soon as the weight left its master's hands.

She pushed her sword against the lance, which forced the pointed weapon into the path of the kusarigama. The lance's tip got caught between several links, which startled the other soldier who tried too late to recall the chain. He pulled back on the chain and that action combined with a smart kick from Selena caused Lance Man to fall into his companion.

One dynasty soldier crashed into the other and they both fell to the ground in a tangled heap. Selena wasted no time in dispatching both of them. She grabbed a sword from the belt of one of the soldiers in case she should need another weapon, and then sprinted toward the still ongoing battle between her friends and the dynasty.

Halfway across the courtyard she doubled over in sudden pain. Selena stumbled to a halt and clenched her chest, her eyes wide and wet with tears.

_What – ?_

Selena gasped as it happened again, and this time she recognized the sensation for what it was.

_Anubis!_

He was calling to her; he was in pain and needed help. Selena glanced at the dark castle looming nearby where she sensed Anubis was held and then at the ronin, who were desperately fighting the much stronger warlords. She hesitated, unsure of what course to take.

She watched the warlords attack the ronin, recognized the fury in their blood red eyes, the superhuman strength and lightning fast attacks, and knew it was Talpa's work. If the dynasty discovered what Anubis knew, the consequences would be horrific. This – Cale laughed as his dark lightning barraged the ronin from the sky and Dais controlled an army of captured human souls that slowly approached the ronin – would be child's play; a paradise compared to the horrors that Talpa would have at his disposal.

And yet, this could all be a ruse, a trick to distract her or the ronin. She wasn't so naïve as to believe that no one in the dynasty had noticed the unusual power surge that destroyed the Nether Spirits and allowed the ronin to gain entrance to this realm, although she hoped – rather unrealistically – that they didn't know where it had come from. Again she wondered if she could trust Anubis.

Inexplicably Selena thought of the glimpse of the man she had caught during their conversation on the bridge. Her eyes narrowed in determination. If this wasn't a trap, then yay for her. But if it was …

_There's no better way to face a trap than to spring it._

Selena smiled and adjusted her grip on her swords. Anubis was a ronin, and therefore it was her duty to protect him. The others would just have to hold their own for the time being.

Selena made her way to the castle and slipped inside, unaware that unseen eyes followed her every movement.

XX

Selena walked cautiously through the dark hallway. Despite the occasional torch, it was slow going because even the light was dark; they gave off a strange green glow that made her skin crawl.

It was also cold. But it wasn't due to the temperature. This was the kind of cold that came from unhappiness; the bitterness of despair and the frosty anger formed from too many years of hate. It was overwhelming. Selena sensed that this place would suffocate you if it was given the chance.

Here, keeping your guard meant protecting not just your life, but your soul as well.

A brush of cold wind caught her attention. Selena stopped and turned. An open doorway stood at her right. It was so dark that if not for the breeze she would never have noticed it.

She stepped towards it cautiously, wondering if that breeze had been generated purposefully to gain her attention. Again she doubted that this was the right course.

Selena frowned. Thoughts like that would only hinder her and make her weak, which was precisely what the dynasty wanted. She mentally shook herself and feeling more confident, stepped through the door.

She was in a large, sparsely decorated room. Dozens of ancient armors were lined against the walls, which were covered with massive scrolls. Selena scanned the scrolls curiously. They appeared to be arranged in chronological order, each depicting increasingly bloody battles and greater conquests.

Her eyes flickered to a set of armor next to her and then back to the scroll behind it on the wall. That armor – or rather, the person who wore it – was in the painting. The warrior was leading an army against a wall of darkness. He was riding a large brown warhorse, his sword raised and mouth open in a silent scream. Selena passed over the battle scene – a ferocious meeting of men, animals, and weapons – and felt bile rise in her throat as she gazed on the scroll's final scene.

The warrior's horse was dead, as was the warrior himself; his body impaled through the stomach on a pike, his eyes staring unseeing at his army, who were being consumed by demons. Only the darkness remained.

Selena tore her gaze from the scroll and the warrior's armor, noticing for the first time the hole that gaped in its midsection. She quickly glanced at the other scrolls in the room and lips curled in disgust as she realized where she was: a trophy room; a reminder of conquests and terrible crimes committed in the name of victory.

She turned to leave, but a slight flicker from the room's torches illuminated a display she had not yet seen. Selena turned her gaze on it fully and stumbled back in shock.

She stared, openmouthed at her master's armor. She recognized it immediately for two reasons: the work of his clan was very distinctive, and this was the armor he'd worn when he'd beaten Talpa and sealed the demon over a thousand years ago.

She slowly brought her gaze to the painting behind it. Instead of the Ancient's successful defeat of the demon, the scroll showed a column of blue light in the middle of a city. In the center of the column was a small figure in monk's robes, his body tense in agony. As in the scroll before, and in every other painting in the room, a bleak nothingness surrounded the scene – the sole triumphant survivor.

Selena's anger skyrocketed. How dare that demon treat her master as a trophy for his collection!

"You will pay for this, demon."

Quiet laughter tinkled in her ears, mocking her. It was then that she noticed the large empty section occupying the space next to her master's armor. Her eyes narrowed and a cool determination swelled within her.

"The ronin will not be prizes for your amusement, Talpa!"

Laughter echoed around her again, but this time the sound was deeper. It wrapped around her like a silken cord, and Selena shivered. She knew that laugh …

"I very much doubt that."

Selena whipped around at the voice, prepared to fight but she was caught off guard by what she saw and she stared as if she'd been slapped.

The dark figure grinned cruelly and lazily held a kusarigama in his hands.

_Anubis?_

XX

Ryo grunted as he was thrown against a castle wall. A few seconds later Rowen landed beside him. Both men struggled to their feet and glanced at each other as they appraised the approaching warlord.

"Man, what's got in to them?" Ryo asked.

"I don't know," Rowen said. "They're stronger, like Anubis was."

Cale laughed. "You are no match for us! Give in and perhaps Master Talpa will be merciful."

"Never!" Ryo screamed. Rowen sent several arrows flying, which the warlord easily deflected. But Strata's plan worked; the warlord was so distracted with his arrows that Ryo was able to get close enough to attack. He struck Cale several times with his katanas before the warlord fought back with his sword and claws.

"Where is your power, boy?" Cale taunted the ronin. "Show me!"

He was mocking the ronin, for in such close combat there was no way for Ryo to combine his swords to use his ultimate attack. Cale swiftly struck again and again at his opponent, and Ryo realized that with the man's increased strength it had been foolish to instigate a fight where he clearly had the upper hand.

But Ryo wasn't alone. Rowen shot another arrow at the warlord, which forced Cale to back away from his opponent or risk getting hit by the powerful beam. Incredibly, before either ronin had a chance to regroup, Cale slashed his blade and called out his attack.

A wall of black lightning blasted from the warlord's weapon and expanded, headed toward the stunned ronin. Just before it engulfed them, a stunning beam of white light intersected the dark energy. The two energies collided, battled briefly for dominance, and then exploded.

Cale's attack was thwarted, but the explosion still knocked the ronin off their feet. It hit Cale, too but Dais formed a psychic shield around him and thus protected his fellow warlord from absorbing much damage.

Sage stood between his friends and the warlords, with Kento and Cye flanking him on either side, their weapons drawn. As one they attacked, their counterparts did the same, and the two sides met together with a great battle cry.

XX

Anubis's voice was cold and cruel, just like it had been when he first appeared over Tokyo, so long ago.

"The ronin are doomed. As are you."

Selena forced her brain to start working again. _He_ was the trap? Had this been planned all along? Had he only been pretending when he said that he no longer served the dynasty? Selena blanched, beginning to panic. Oh Buddha! That meant that they dynasty most likely knew everything!

The ronin! They were in deep trouble! She started to edge toward the door, but a finely pointed mace efficiently embedded in the wall inches in front of her face stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Anubis cocked his head in a way that she'd never seen him do before and for some reason she found that strange. She slowly turned back to face him.

"There now. That's a good girl." He smiled at her in a way that made her insides churn. Not knowing how to explain … _this_, Selena took a gamble.

"What happened to you?" She asked, clearly confused and – surprisingly – a little hurt. "I thought you had decided to leave the dynasty."

Now it was Anubis's turn to look confused. "Why would I ever leave my master?"

Selena frowned. Something wasn't right. She kept talking, all the while slowly moving her hand to the sword at her side.

"But you said that Talpa manipulated you; controlled you. You said yourself that all he wants is your armor!" At the last word she pulled her sword free and thrust at Anubis, hoping to make him drop his weapon. But even taken off guard Anubis wasn't so easily defeated. He raised the chain still in his hands in just enough time to block her. Her sword clanged loudly against the chain and she put more weight on it, but the chain didn't break.

"Clever girl." For a moment Anubis seemed genuinely impressed, then his expression turned ugly and he fought back.

The sickle lying loose in his grip, he deftly grabbed the curved blade and made a subtle swipe at Selena's thigh. It cut her and she cried out, unconsciously shifting her weight away from the blade and into Anubis. The warlord took advantage of her mistake and gripped her wrist, squeezing hard which forced her to drop the sword. He laughed and tightening his grip on her, brought her closer to him.

"Such a pretty face," Anubis said, brushing the sharp edge of the sickle against the skin of her cheek. "Oh but here's a scar." He looked at her and grinned, pushing the blade just enough so that it broke her skin. He watched the tiny wound well with blood and gather against the blade. "Maybe I should give you a matching set."

When he started to cut she struck. Glaring, Selena thrust her smaller blade under his cuirass, in a small opening between the armor and his kusazuri (tassets), just under the ribcage.

For the briefest moment he flickered and that's when Selena knew. The pieces fell into place: that he talked too much, his body language was strange, his fighting technique unfamiliar, and that he'd never once said her name; she was facing a demon, and not Anubis.

This was good; it meant that Anubis and the ronin were safe. Well, safer.

A fresh wave of anger broke over her, dispelling her sudden relief. How dare the dynasty trick her! Thankfully demons were easily dealt with.

Selena picked up her fallen sword and faced the demon with both weapons in hand.

"How's this for a matching set?" she growled and slammed the weapons into its eyes.

The demon shuddered, flickered, and the body beneath the armor burst into a strange wispy light. Instead of disappearing, as all other previous demon's had, the light split into several pieces and shot into the ancient armors along the walls. Selena stared, horrified as the armors began to move. The stood up, appeared to shake themselves off, and as one turned toward her and began to advance.

Selena blinked. Well, that was a surprise.

More horrifying than being witness to the sudden animation of two dozen ancient warriors' armors was the sight of her master's armor coming straight at her. This was a situation that Selena had never anticipated, and her reaction was accordingly appropriate.

"Oh, _fuck_."

XX

The ronin held their ground as the force of their and the warlords' powers swept over them. It was so strong that one of the castle parapets collapsed and tumbled into the courtyard.

The gale subsided and the ronin gasped in surprise; the warlords were still standing, and didn't appear to have a scratch on them!

"Oh, man," Kento groaned. "This is not good."

"Don't give up!" Ryo ordered. "We've beaten them before and we can do it again!"

"Ryo's right," Cye agreed and Sage nodded. "All we need is a little leverage." He nodded to one of the towers behind the warlords that had been damaged by the attacks. It leaned ominously.

Rowen smiled in understanding. "Got it." He turned to Cye. "Ready?"

The ronin nodded and pointed his trident at the tower.

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!"

The water slammed into the tower, going between the cracks in the rock and weakening the structure further. Rowen's finely aimed arrow struck the tower in just the right spot. The tower collapsed and the warlords were forced apart to avoid being buried under tons of rock, wood, and water.

This was precisely what the ronin wanted. Now that the warlords were separated it would be easier to fight. Ready for them, the ronin eagerly attacked the scattered warlords.

Kento didn't waste any time landing a punch against Dais, and quickly caught the man in his gut with the end of his naginata. Kento considered it payback for the many times he'd fallen under the warlord's nasty illusions.

Cye blasted Sekhmet with another wave of water, effectively stopping the warlord from using his poison attack. Sekhmet grunted under the force of the water, but still managed to throw a few katanas at his opponent. Cye side-stepped all but one, which caught his shoulder and burned a small gash into the armor. Cye winced but didn't let up his attack. He spun his trident so that both ends got Sekhmet in the chin. The warlord recovered and struck again with his katana, which Cye blocked. The two warriors glared at each other, stuck in a deadlock.

Sage and Cale attacked viciously, each trying to force the other to submit. Their swords clashed and groaned under the violent force with which their master's fought. Sage's longsword kept Cale from getting too close, while the warlord's claws on his free hand kept Sage moving in order to avoid a sudden strike.

Meanwhile, Ryo and Rowen faced the human army under Dais's control. It was not an easy task, since both ronin did not want to hurt the people who clearly had no control over what they were doing. But they could not be overcome by the horde, either. And so both ronin fought offensively, doing their best to contain the situation. Thankfully the men and women were only threatening due to their numbers; a punch or a kick and for the most part they were down.

But there were still too many of them, and the ronin couldn't waste the energy to keep fighting them. Rowen caught sight of an enclosed courtyard off to their right, and a plan quickly formed in his mind.

"Hey, Ryo!" He called. "Follow me!" Rowen dodged a swipe from a burly-looking man and ran towards the gate. Ryo threw an attacker over his shoulder, caught sight of his companion, and quickly ran after him.

"Rowen, what are you doing?"

"Here," Rowen said, opening the gates to the courtyard. "Hide behind these gates. I'll lure them inside. When I tell you to, close the gates." He looked behind him; the people were headed toward them.

"But – " Ryo protested, but Rowen silenced him.

"Just do it! Hey!" he shouted to the horde. "I'm over here!"

He ran inside and Ryo quickly hid himself in the shadow of the open gate. The horde, seeing Rowen, picked up speed. Mindlessly following their orders to destroy the ronin, they entered the courtyard without pause. From where he was, Ryo could see the figures as they passed through the gate and heard their low moaning. He hoped that this plan would work.

Inside the courtyard Rowen fought the few people who had made it to the other end of the space. They were quicker than the rest, and he had no choice but to defend himself while the rest of the horde slowly entered the courtyard. He punched one guy in the gut and hit a woman; he winced as he heard bones break, thankful that they weren't his but guilty all the same.

Finally the last of the horde made it through the doorway. Rowen opened his mouth to yell to Ryo, but a teenager about his own age stepped in front of him and punched him in the face. Surprised by the force behind the boy's swing, Rowen returned the favor and as the young man fell he yelled to his friend.

Ryo heard Rowen scream and immediately closed the heavy gate. After a few minutes and his friend still hadn't returned, Ryo began to get worried. He prepared to jump the gate when suddenly Rowen tumbled over it. The blue ronin was breathing hard and his eyes were wide, but otherwise he seemed okay.

"What happened?" When he didn't immediately respond, Ryo became concerned. "Rowen?"

"People," Rowen gasped. "Don't ever underestimate the power of people. Especially in large groups."

A loud noise startled them, and they glanced back at the gate to make sure that it would hold as the people trapped on the other side banged against it. It held and the two ronin breathed a collective sigh of relief.

It was then that Talpa appeared over the battlefield.

"Talpa!" Ryo yelled. "We will defeat you!"

The demon emperor laughed at the ronin's show of defiance. "I wonder if you can." His eyes glowed red and an unearthly wind suddenly surged around the ronin. The warriors cried out in pain; it felt like they were being whipped, and it stung.

Talpa laughed again at their strife. "You have already proven yourselves fools to challenge me!" He turned to his minions. "Warlords! Give me your armors!"

Cale turned to his master in confusion. "But master, we can defeat them!"

As if to emphasize his words, Dais landed a vicious blow against Kento. But Talpa was not interested in his subordinates' opinions. His eyes flashed red in warning.

"Do not make me take them from you! Give them to me and I will bring an end to these pathetic children!"

As he spoke the warlords began to glow until they were nothing more than orbs of light.

"No!" Ryo cried, but it was too late; Talpa had already consumed them.

XX

Selena ran desperately through the castle. She couldn't see them but she knew that those possessed armors were still after her. She wasn't fool enough to try to take them on by herself. She only hoped that if she hadn't gotten rid of them by the time she found Anubis that he was in a state to fight. Because she was going to need his help.

Focused on Anubis's presence like the lifeline it probably was, she turned a corner and suddenly found herself in a dark room that at first glance appeared to be empty. A slow movement caught her eye and Selena saw a shadowy figure against a wall near a corner.

She pulled her sword from her belt and held in tightly in her hand as she slowly walked toward the figure. It moved again, this time turning slightly in her direction.

"Selena?"

She gasped as she recognized him. "Anubis!"

Selena approached him cautiously, her recent encounter with his doppelganger fresh in her mind. He was on his knees with his arms outstretched on either side of him. As she got closer she realized that he was chained to the wall. Anubis looked at her through slitted eyes and she knew he was in pain. She kneeled beside him and placed her sword on the floor next to her, her eyes flying over the chains that held him in place.

"What happened?" she asked but he ignored her.

"What are you doing here?"

Selena snorted lightly. "To rescue you, of course. Now how do you open these things?" She reached for the chain nearest to her, but Anubis stopped her.

"No!" he cried and the panic in his voice made her freeze.

"The chains – they're enchanted. Any movement will activate them."

Selena looked doubtful. "What do they do?"

"Dark energy. It shocks me. It tries to control me."

Selena frowned. She didn't want to hurt Anubis (a strange thought, considering that a day earlier she wouldn't have hesitated to destroy him), but they didn't have much time. The maze of hallways was slowing her pursuers, but it wouldn't take them long to find her. She had to get Anubis out of these chains before they showed up, or they were both going to die – and that wouldn't be helpful. At all.

Selena released a slow breath and picked up her sword. She stood up and raised the weapon above her head. "I'm sorry," she said and swiftly brought it down.

Her screams mingled with Anubis's. The dark energy flared as soon as her sword touched it and traveled up the length of the weapon to her hands and arms. She felt like she was on fire; her skin was scorching hot and her muscles stung. It took all of her will not to let go. She pulled back. The relief was instantaneous, but before she changed her mind she struck at the chain once more, fighting her body's primal instinct to protect itself.

The pain was just as bad as the last time, but Selena pushed through it and miraculously the chain broke. It happened so suddenly that Selena fell forward and so did Anubis. She caught herself and the chain, now loose, fell to the floor. With effort Anubis slid his hands free. He stumbled a bit as he tried to stand and Selena steadied him. He took a few steadying breaths and stood on his own. He looked at Selena, wonder in his eyes.

"Thank you."

Selena heard the slight hesitation and wondered what it had cost him to say that; after all, they'd rarely been on the same side. It would take more than a single act for them to fully trust one another. But still, it was progress.

Selena swallowed, remembering why she'd saved this man.

_My master trusted him and we need all the help we can get. And … he's different. _The memory of him on the bridge flashed through her mind. _And I want to know why._

"You're welcome." Selena cleared her throat. "We'd better go," she said. "We don't have much time. I'm being – ah!"

A pain more intense than anything she had ever felt pierced her heart and Selena faltered, suddenly weak. She felt like her soul had been punched in the gut. She gasped, barely aware of Anubis's steely grip on her shoulder as she focused on the pain.

"What is this?" she asked to no one in particular, her voice strained. To her surprise, Anubis answered.

"It is the warlords. They have given themselves up to Talpa."

Selena stared at Anubis in disbelief and yet she knew it was the truth; she could feel it.

Several clanging sounds made her turn around. The ancient armors entered the room. A quick survey confirmed that she and Anubis were surrounded. Then, seconds later the entire castle began to shake.

"It's Talpa," Anubis said the same instant she thought it. Selena didn't even have the energy to swear. She tensed, even though at the moment she could do nothing.

It looked like the final battle had begun.


	13. Fight Against Fate

**I am SO sorry that it has taken me so long to update. Life and the holidays got in the way. But here's the final chapter of part one; stay tight - there's a lot more to come!**

**Happy New Year!**

**Author's notes at the end.****

* * *

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_Twelve_

Selena narrowed her gaze at the armored spirits that surrounded them. They didn't make any movements to advance farther into the room, and that made her cautious. Next to her Anubis sucked in his breath.

"These are Talpa's armors," Anubis said and by the tone of his voice Selena knew that he was shocked by their appearance. "His –" Anubis glanced at Selena and broke off, but she finished for him.

"His _trophies_." She practically spat the last word, her gaze focused on her master's armor as she spoke. She slipped her weapons from her belt and gripped them tight. Her brown eyes blazed with a fierce resolve and her voice was thick with passion.

"The ronin will not become one of them. I will make sure of it."

Anubis heard the determination in her voice, and while he admired her tenacity he also knew that as strong as she was, their current enemy far outmatched her abilities.

"These are no ordinary spirits, Selena," Anubis cautioned her. "Their warrior's spirits live in them still, although they have been bent to Talpa's will." He placed his hand on his kusarigama but made no move to withdraw it. "These are powerful opponents."

"As are we," Selena responded. She readied her swords and stepped forward but hesitated; why did the spirits not attack?

The rumbling that had accompanied the warlords' disappearance abruptly stopped and it must have been some kind of signal because in that first moment of silence the armors moved. As one, the spirits made several elaborate gestures.

From the corner of her eye Selena saw Anubis flourish his weapon, the deadly sharp edge of the sickle glinting with promises of pain. Knowing what was coming, Anubis acted quickly. The kusarigama caught one of the spirits in the side and swiftly cut it in half. Two more armored spirits met the same fate before the others completed their ritual. With one final gesture from the remaining spirits, the room shimmered and the air above the trapped warriors sparked with invisible energy.

The shield had barely formed around them when movement caught Selena's attention. She turned, ready to strike and gasped in shock; the three fallen armors were reforming! She stood frozen in surprise as the three suits of armor pulled themselves together and took their place in the circle alongside their brethren on the outskirts of the room. Anubis, however, had been expecting this and before they could complete the circuit he cut them down a second time.

Anubis recalled his chain and prepared for the next attack. Figuring that he had the three handled, Selena selected a target and, raising her swords, charged at one of the spirits inside the ring.

Too late Anubis saw her. He turned, bringing the kusarigama with him, but there was nothing he could do.

An explosion erupted the moment her sword touched the energy around the spirit and Selena was sent flying. She slammed into Anubis, who lost his balance by the sudden impact and the two fell to the ground. Selena rolled off of him and cursed.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded, brushing her hair out of her face as she struggled to stand up.

Anubis responded by grabbing Selena and pushing her head down while he threw his kusarigama, the weapon passing inches over her head before it slammed into two of the reformed armors. The curved blade struck one spirit, sliced through its thigh guards and cuirass, and came free through the spirit's armored shoulder. Keenly watching his weapon's work, Anubis quickly flicked his wrist and pulled. The sickle turned and decapitated an adjacent spirit in one swift cut. Its feathered kabuto fell to the floor. The headless body lolled briefly before it crashed to the ground. Before Anubis was able to attack again, the third spirit finished its incantation. Now it was his turn to curse.

"Damn it!" he swore as the air around them shimmered again, and this time streaks of lightning snaked overhead. Obviously the shield's strength had increased from the added power of the spirit.

Selena noticed this with a frown on her face, even as she watched the two downed armors for any signs of movement. Whatever was going on, they clearly did not want the spirits to complete the circle.

Anubis's determined gaze met hers. "We must find a way out of here."

Selena nodded. "Agreed. Any ideas how?"

"Power. My attack might be enough to break through the shield."

"And if it's not?"

Instead of replying, Anubis tightened his grip on his kusarigama, leaped up, twirled the weapon rapidly above his head, and released it viciously while bellowing, "QUAKE WITH FEAR!"

Fiery chains burst from the wooden floors at the feet of the armored spirits and wrapped around them. Seconds later the full force of Anubis's power struck them and shook the castle's foundations.

Almost as soon as the warlord's power hit the shield did the spirits unleash their own attack. Red bolts shot from the armors' chests, aimed at the two occupants inside the shield. One hit Anubis in the chest and another struck him on his injured side. He fell to his knees, screaming as his wound was reopened. The kusarigama fell from his suddenly numb hands. It hit the floor with a dull and ominous thud.

"No!" Selena shouted, barely aware that she spoke as she tried to dodge the spirits' relentless attacks. They couldn't lose!

She turned toward Anubis, determined to reach the neglected weapon when she saw two energy beams headed her way. She managed to dodge one but in so doing the other grazed her shoulder. Her shoulder erupted in a fiery pain, like thousands of fire ants were biting into her skin. Selena automatically reached for her shoulder and when she pulled her hand back it was covered in blood.

A third bolt hit her in the back, and as she screamed, something inside of her snapped. Twisting as she fell, her hand slipped into her pants pocket. No one heard her summon her armor above the din of sizzling energy and tortured screams, but all were blinded by its entrance into this world.

XX

Far in the courtyard where they fought Talpa, the five ronin paused as a brilliant golden light disturbed their vision. It erupted from a distant part of the castle and shot out in all directions, momentarily turning the surrounding area gold-white. Even Talpa hesitated at this wondrous display.

As soon as the light appeared, a new awareness filled their senses. It was at once familiar and strange. For a moment the armors beat as one. Then the light receded and the awareness dulled.

Unsure what this meant, the ronin steadfastly pushed their uneasiness aside and turned back to Talpa. They had a battle to win.

XX

Gradually his sight returned to him. Anubis blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes to the now comparatively dimmer light in the room, barely aware that he no longer was in any pain. He stared. The possessed armors lay crumpled on the floor, lifeless; the phantom spirits of the ancient warriors exorcised by Selena's summons.

Fully dressed in her golden armor, Selena surveyed the armored husks, her eyes ablaze with passion.

"You are free," she murmured curtly to the departed spirits and then turned to Anubis, who stood facing her. She ignored his astonished look and picked up his discarded weapon.

She handed his weapon back to him. "We have to leave. Now." It was more an order than a request. Anubis understood her urgency. The power surge that marked her transformation had attracted some unwanted attention; they could both sense it – a foreign presence whose gaze was dark and penetrating. It searched for that which had caused the explosion; it searched for Selena.

Selena followed Anubis out of the room and into the castle hallways. For the moment the alien awareness was only curious, but she knew that would soon change. She needed to act quickly if she was to strike before the dynasty discovered her.

Selena hurried; she didn't have much time.

XX

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"

The power of the attack was immense. Rocky sections of the castle were ripped from its foundations and floated high into the sky before they were slammed against a massive shin. Although the disjointed sections were each the size of a skyscraper, they looked no bigger than building blocks against the giant that Talpa had become. The castle portions broke apart on impact, sending boulder-sized shards on top of the warriors below.

The ronin scattered, running as fast as they could from the deadly debris. Sage stood defiant and split a section of what had been the castle wall in two. The pieces fell to the ground on either side of the ronin and hit the cobblestones with a mighty thud that shook the ground and sent dirt and dust into the air.

The dust cleared. Talpa's armor remained unscathed; not a single scrape was visible to attest to the recent attack.

Kento screamed in rage.

"Not even a dent!" Fueled by his anger, Kento slammed his naginata into the ground, and this time the ronin joined him in his attack.

Water from Cye's trident swirled around massive boulders that were torn from the ground by the power of Kento's assault, picked up the rocks and carried them swiftly toward their foe. Sage added his own power to that of his friends', charging the water with a deadly electricity.

Meanwhile, Rowen shot his arrows at Talpa, the flare from their flight blinding the demon long enough for the ronins' attack to strike true. The mass of elements plowed into Talpa and the demon screamed as, for the first time in a thousand years, he felt true pain.

Ryo didn't give Talpa time to recover. Barely had his friends' attacks struck the emperor than he unleashed the intensity of his armor.

"FLARE UP NOW!" Ryo yelled. Heat surrounded him, and it made him powerful. There was a flash and seconds later Talpa was engulfed in Wildfire's flames.

The ronin watched, hopeful as the giant demon writhed under the fury of the flames, his frantic movements fueling the fire that consumed him.

Then, suddenly, the flames went out. The ronin stared, disbelieving.

"What?"

Deep laughter cued them that something was not right. Talpa turned and stared down at his opponents. If he could, he would have been smiling.

"You think you can defeat me? Fools!" Here Talpa raised a foot and slammed it into the ground. Rowen and Cye had to roll to avoid being squished. Talpa laughed as the two ronin struggled to their feet. "You are nothing against me!"

He bent over, one hand curled into a fist and swung at the ronin. Kento was forced to jump back, but Sage stood his ground and sliced the side of the demon's hand as it flew by.

Annoyed, Talpa withdrew his hand only to fire at the ronin seconds later, this time with an attack that was not his own. Wicked black lightning shot toward Sage, which in his surprise he was unable to dodge. It surrounded him, electrifying him with its dark energy. The other ronin were left alone; it was obvious that this attack was meant for Sage alone as punishment for his successful strike against the towering demon.

Sage screamed and fell to his knees. The ronin stared in shock; how did Talpa do that - that was Cale's attack! They weren't able to consider this new knowledge for long; Talpa quickly struck again.

This time the attack hit all of the ronin. Curved beams of red energy lashed out at them, striking them all over like poisoned whips. The beams cut into the ronins' armor. They cried out at each slash; the pain was so deep that they felt it on their skin. Then, at a gesture from Talpa, the beams wrapped around the ronin and constricted.

Now the ronin screamed. The pressure from their bounds was crushing them, as if they were in the relentless grip of a snake.

Talpa laughed. "You are weak!" He crowed. "And you will soon all be mine!"

A deafening roar interrupted him.

"BLAZING SOUL ILLUMINATION!"

A brilliant beam of golden light raced across the castle grounds and ripped through each of the blazing ropes around the ronin, releasing them. The ronin fell, but despite their ordeal grabbed their weapons and pulled themselves up, prepared to fight once more.

Talpa was not amused. He turned his giant body, searching for the source of the attack. Curious as well, the ronin turned with him.

Cye saw them first.

"Look!" He shouted, pointing. "Over there!"

Standing on the steps leading from the castle entrance were two figures; one held a chain and the other a long sword. The ronin recognized Anubis at once.

"What's he doing here?" Sage asked while Kento cried, "He's alive?" Ryo ignored them; his attention was focused on the person next to the warlord, a mysterious figure clothed in gold armor that looked eerily similar to his own.

"Who is that?" Ryo asked, noticing with a mixture of confusion and alarm that the soul of his armor had been subtly but strongly pulsing the since the golden figure's attack – for surely that's what it had been; Ryo knew that it hadn't come from Anubis – he knew the warlord too well.

Surprisingly, it was Talpa who answered him.

"What is this?" the demon cried upon seeing the gold figure. "A tenth armor? Impossible!"

By way of reply, the figure executed its attack again, this time aiming for Talpa. The ronin watched as it calmly raised its sword above its head and then brought the weapon down in one swift stroke. A dazzling golden light formed around the sword and shot out from its tip, hurtling toward its target. The energy slammed into Talpa with such force that the demon was compelled to take a step back.

Talpa was astounded by this warrior's small achievement, although he fought not to show it.

"What power is this?"

Selena detected surprise hidden in the demon's haughty statement, and she smiled; it meant he was worried. He should be.

"I am the student of Kaos, your conqueror, and guardian of the tenth armor and the sixth ronin armor; the Armor of Fervor!"

The ronin gasped.

"Another ronin armor?"

"Why haven't we seen him before?"

"Is this a trick by the dynasty?"

Rowen shook his head at that last thought. "No," he said. "Look at Talpa; he's just as surprised as we are."

It was true. Talpa was momentarily frozen by the warrior's words, completely caught off-guard by her existence. Understanding flooded the demon as he became fully aware of this new armor; it and those of the absorbed warlords called to one another. He felt the armors' pulse like a second heartbeat, which proved beyond a doubt that Fervor was indeed a piece of his mighty armor.

_Damn that monk! How dare he keep my armor from me!_

His shock was brief, however, and he soon gathered himself enough to bite out a few spiteful words to this new warrior.

"Your master was wise to keep you from me. But you revealed yourself too early, ronin. Now you will fall and your armor shall be mine!"

Selena had had enough talk. She turned to Anubis, who nodded back. She smiled, eager to fight and together they charged the demon emperor with fierce battle cries on their lips.

"QUAKE WITH FEAR!"

"BLAZING SOUL ILLUMINATION!"

The dual attacks spurred the ronin back into action. They didn't know who this warrior was or what they were doing with Anubis, but any enemy of Talpa's was a friend of theirs. For now, at least.

They fought Talpa fearlessly. Sage combined his power with Cye's to create a torrent of electrified water that pummeled viciously at the demon while Kento systematically tore Talpa's castle apart and tossed the bulky remains at the giant.

While the demon was occupied with staving off their attacks, Rowen aimed his arrows at strategic locations on Talpa's armor. Selena saw this and an idea formed in her head. She hurried over to Anubis.

"Can you hit those arrows?" she asked. Anubis looked to where she indicated and nodded.

"Yes. Why?"

She quickly told him her plan and he grinned. "I will get Kento into position; you find Rowen."

They parted. It took her longer than expected to find Rowen; Talpa's use of the warlords' powers forced her to occasionally duck, twist, and even deflect an attack with her odachi, which was not the most agile weapon on the field. When she did find him, Rowen was just stringing an arrow to fire. Her golden armor was hard to miss, and she knew that Rowen had seen her. Lowering his bow and arrow, he turned to face her.

"What do you want?"

Selena ignored his brusqueness; as an unknown and untested ally, his wariness was understandable. Quickly she told him her plan, grateful that her faceguard hid both her face and muffled her voice so that even though they were face to face, Rowen didn't recognize her.

Despite his hesitancy with her presence on the battlefield, Rowen's eyes lit up once he heard her plan.

"That should take the demon down for sure!"

"Or slow him down, at the very least," Selena replied, glad of the ronin's enthusiasm. She placed some distance between them, noted that everyone else was in position, and raised her sword above her head.

Her attack was the signal. As the golden light slammed into Talpa's kabuto, temporarily blinding him, the ronin acted. Firing rapidly, Rowen shot more arrows, which stuck in Talpa's armor; Anubis and Kento, standing at opposite sides of the demon, threw their chains so that they looped over Talpa's neck, and used Rowen's arrows as anchors. Once secure, the two warriors pulled. With their combined strength they managed to pull Talpa over so that the demon was temporarily immobilized. Seizing the opportunity, Ryo grabbed one of the arrows embedded in Talpa's shin and, using the spaced arrows as footholds, swung onto the demon.

Clinging onto the kusazuri beneath Talpa's cuirass, Ryo withdrew his katanas and plunged the swords into the demon's exposed side. It was the ronins' first real strike against Talpa, and he felt it. Talpa yelled as the weapons pierced his body, but he would not be defeated so easily.

Pulling against the chains that held him, Talpa grabbed Ryo and flung the ronin from his body. Ryo landed on the opposite end of the courtyard, and he did not get up.

Taking advantage of the ronins' surprise, Talpa turned and swiped at Sage and Cye who had not let up in their electrified attack. He missed Sage but hit Cye. The ronin fell and to the dismay of his companions was caught by Talpa.

"No! Cye!"

Worried for his friend, Kento lunged at the demon. Selena saw this and yelled, "Kento, don't!"

Not even the strange warrior's sudden and inexplicable use of his name was enough to stop Hardrock. Selena watched in dismay as one of the chains that held Talpa slipped from Kento's grasp and fell limply to the ground. She ran toward the fallen weapon, hoping that she could reach it before Talpa realized what had happened, but it was not to be.

His arm now free, Talpa pinched the remaining chain, which snapped under his fierce pressure. The chain recoiled violently and the group watched in horror as the sharp blade at the end struck the captive Cye in his chest.

"NO!" Selena and Kento screamed in unison, which was something of a blessing; it blocked out the ronin's tortured cries. Cye's presence began to fade and in the same instant Kento's anger surfaced.

"You bastard!" he screamed and the courtyard exploded.

The cobblestones shook in their places in the earth and rose into the sky, stone battlements toppled, and the wall around the castle heaved as it responded to the pull of Hardrock's power. The entire area shimmered with energy as the earth rose up to meet Talpa, threatening to overwhelm him.

But the demon merely laughed and responded with an attack of his own. The two powers collided, causing a blinding light and deafening roar to engulf them all. When the light faded Cye and Kento were gone.

Talpa laughed. "You are no match for me!" He crowed. "Two of your companions have joined me, and soon you shall follow!"

Then, to add insult to injury, Talpa turned his newly acquired powers against the ronin. Rowen barely had time to throw himself over Ryo before a barrage of rocks tumbled on the group, knocking over Selena and trapping her legs and feet under heavy rocks. Anubis was luckier; he was able to deflect a few rocks with his kusarigama before he, too was struck down.

Talpa sent a particularly large boulder towards Sage, but the ronin wasn't worried. He whipped out his sword and, screaming his attack, used the heat from the electricity on his blade to cut through the massive rock.

A sudden cry of "SUPER WAVE SMASHER" echoed eerily between the attacks. It was the only warning Sage had.

A massive tunnel of water struck just as the boulder split, drenching him. Abruptly Sage became a superconductor; his screams quickly died as the electricity pumping through his veins constricted his throat.

Selena, Anubis, and Rowen watched helplessly as Sage slumped over. His form flickered, and then turned into a green orb that quickly floated into Talpa's cuirass and disappeared.

There was no time to be upset. Once Talpa absorbed Sage he turned and stared down where Anubis and Selena struggled to free themselves from the rocks that pinned them to the ground. He spoke to his former warlord.

"So Anubis, you see now that it was folly to turn against me. Now you will pay for your mistake with your life!"

He did not bother to advance. Instead he outstretched his hand and fired a bolt of dark energy at the pair. Trapped, they could do nothing but watch in terror as the black bolt filled their vision.

A streak of light abruptly collided with the darkness and sent the wicked energy careening into the sky. A shadow covered her and a voice rang out. Selena froze. She knew that voice.

"This is the end, Talpa. Here you die."

It was Rowen, and his challenge was clear. Talpa looked at the ronin, amused with the young man's daring. He shook his head.

"No, mighty warrior. It is you who will perish on this day."

Rowen glowered. "We'll see about that."

Rowen attacked first. He shot an arrow at Talpa, who easily deflected it and with his other hand returned fire. Dark energy sped toward the ronin, who was forced to use his weapon to protect himself. Rowen shot rapidly at Talpa and then ducked to avoid the emperor's assault.

And so it continued. Selena worked to free herself from the rocks; she knew that Rowen would not be able to hold out for long – already he was showing signs of exhaustion.

"Come on, damn you!" she swore at a particularly stubborn rock that refused to move. She twisted, searching for her sword. Relief broke out on her face when she saw that it had fallen not far from her. She grabbed at it and swore again, more viciously this time. The weapon was just out of reach.

More than just a little ticked off, Selena returned to the rocks on her legs and started shoving them off. She glanced at Rowen and flinched as he just barely dodged a nasty strike from Talpa. She redoubled her efforts.

The stubborn rock finally tumbled off. Selena immediately turned and, lying on the rough ground, stretched her arm as far as it could go. Her fingertips brushed her sword's handle.

Gritting her teeth, Selena turned on her back and then rolled, using her body's momentum to get closer to the sword. She missed it the first time, but got it the second. Her hand gripped the hilt and she pulled the weapon to her just as Rowen screamed.

The ronin wasn't the only one. Another cry pierced the air and Selena turned, startled – and then immediately wished that she hadn't. Somehow Talpa had managed to grab Rowen and he was now repeatedly beating the young man against Anubis, who was still trapped beneath the rocks.

Her eyes widened in horror at the sight of the two men being tortured in such a humiliating way. Now she was pissed.

Selena tried to block their cries as she frantically tried to dig herself out; she had to attack Talpa now, while he was … occupied. Frustrated with the heavy rocks, she took her sword and aimed carefully. The resulting beam of light instantly incinerated the majority of the rocks covering her legs. The rest – mainly those too close to her body – were easily removed with a vicious kick.

Selena stood and blasted Talpa with her power. Startled, he released the ronin, who dropped to the ground beside Anubis. Selena gasped when she saw his battered body and made her way to him, her weapon trained on Talpa the entire time.

This close to Anubis, Selena saw that he wasn't much better off than Rowen. She was relieved to see that he was still awake, but just barely.

Talpa threw a wave of dark energy at them, but Selena refused to let the demon take them so easily. She sliced the air with her sword, golden light blossomed forth, and its power raced toward the incoming attack. The light cut into the center of the darkness, splitting it in two.

Selena turned to her companions, the resultant explosion from her attack briefly illuminating the warriors' worn faces.

"No!" she cried when they both started to glow. "Do not give in! Fight!"

Anubis managed a brief, encouraging smile while Rowen gathered enough energy to speak.

"Fight for us," he whispered before he disappeared. A moment later, Anubis followed him.

"NO!"

The despair in that cry made her heart wrench. Selena whipped around, surprised at who she saw. Ryo.

So, he wasn't dead. Thank God. But he was upset. Obviously he'd just witnessed his friend's absorption, but the cry spoke of more than that; Ryo mourned for his fallen friends, especially those whom he could not save.

As for Selena, she was pissed. She narrowed her eyes, a fierce determination overriding her loss.

"Wildfire!" She called. His gaze met hers. Selena grinned at what she saw there.

"My thoughts exactly," she murmured and adjusted her grip on her sword. "Join with me!"

They attacked in unison. Both leaped high into the air, their weapons drawn and ready.

"FLARE UP NOW!"

"BLAZING SOUL ILLUMINATION!"

Their combined powers created a maelstrom of fire and light. It was impossible to see and the heat was searing, nearly unbearable even for Ryo, whose armor thrived on blazing temperatures. The intensity of the attack shook the weapons in their hands, which threatened to break but still the two warriors held on.

Talpa screamed, the attack consuming him entirely. For a moment the demon faltered and it seemed that they would win. Then, incredibly, Talpa pushed back.

Summoning the powers of the dynasty, a black hole appeared in the ronins' assault. At first it began as a tiny pinprick, but once that barrier was breached it quickly grew until it had consumed most of the light. It sucked in the light and drew strength from it.

Selena and Ryo were torn; to continue the attack would only strengthen Talpa, while to break it off meant the end of this world.

The choice was ripped from them as the black hole suddenly expanded and flew at them, a massive ball of darkness that threatened to consume them.

It was Ryo's sudden attack that saved her. Flames surrounded her, blocking the black hole from her sight. Caught up in the path of the fire, Selena tumbled with it, her world a dizzying mixture of fire, wind, and flames as she was pushed to the periphery of the fight in the instant the dynasty struck.

The wrenching pain of Wildfire's loss was terrible.

Selena screamed, but her cries were lost in the conflagration as Ryo was torn from her. When the firestorm faded, she was alone.

XX

Talpa sneered at the remaining warrior, who stood resolute and alone in the howling wilderness of the dynasty.

"You are a fool to resist me. Your companions have all fallen. Give in."

Selena held her fury in check. The situation was bad, but it was not hopeless. She still stood, and that was enough. It would have to be.

She slid into a defensive stance, one traditionally done in observed matches to signal the start of the fight. Talpa did not understand the modern connotations, but he recognized the position.

"Your spirit will not save you, ronin!"

When Talpa attacked, Selena was ready. Dark lightning twisted from his fingertips toward her person. Selena recognized the attack as Cale's and quickly brought up her sword, which absorbed the dark electric currents without a fuss. She leaped at Talpa and swiped at him, the odachi striking his heel. The demon kicked Selena off and she was sent flying through the air.

She prepared for the impact and rolled when she landed, standing just in time to swipe wide; an arch of light swept outward and collided with a horizontal column of fire. When the two powers met they created an explosion, which Selena used to cover her escape. She used the opportunity to scan Talpa for any weaknesses. She frowned, nothing immediately striking her, and then ducked, narrowly avoiding being decapitated by a golden arrow.

Talpa did not let up. He fired a volley of arrows at Selena, whose memory reminded her that this was eerily similar to Rowen's fight against the demon. Determined not to have this engagement end the same way, Selena fired back with her attack. The golden light deflected several arrows before it struck one at an odd angle. The beam veered off suddenly and slammed into Talpa's ogre-faced breastplate.

Three things happened: the breastplate glowed blue, Talpa screamed in pain, and five souls pulsed faintly. Selena rapidly drew the obvious conclusion: she'd found her opening.

Without hesitation, she charged. Her sword glowed but did not discharge. The weapon's carefully controlled energy continued to build as she ran, and then leaped at the demon. Screaming, Selena plunged the odachi deep into Talpa's breastplate.

"Your last hour has come, Talpa! Die in blood!"

The demon stumbled as the sword cut through his armor and pierced his soul. Selena landed on the ground and watched as five colored orbs flew from the center of Talpa's chest. The orbs surrounded her on either side and faded to reveal the five ronin warriors, restored and ready for battle.

A new resolve emanated from the five young men. Their virtues flared and Selena watched in awe as Sage, Rowen, Cye, and Kento joined their powers with Ryo. Wildfire disappeared in a blinding surge of power, and when it faded a new armor had taken Wildfire's place.

The red armor was gone, replaced with a set of pure white armor. Sparks flew around it on an invisible wind, the sole remnants of the great power that had brought the armor forth. Ryo stood, seemingly undaunted by the change that his armor had undergone. He gripped his twin katana hard, his gaze on Talpa defiant and filled with a dangerous strength.

"What is this?" Talpa roared, but the ronin ignored him.

Selena's virtue flared and her armor responded to the call, beating in time with its brother armors. The six ronin combined their attacks in one massive assault against the dynasty.

"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!"

"THUNDER BOLT CUT!"

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"

"BLAZING SOUL ILLUMINATION!"

"RAGE OF INFERNO!"

The entire world shook under the force of the ronins' power. The castle, the symbol of Talpa's dominion, crumbled with little resistance as the ground split open. If Talpa made any sound, the ronin did not hear it. Their strength overwhelmed him and the demon was lost in a storm of supernatural intensity.

Once more the ronins' virtues flared, this time for their protection. Colored shields surrounded each of the ronin as their armors acted in their defense, and the six were swiftly removed from the collapsing dynasty.

XX

They landed safely in the middle of the city below. The shields disappeared and the ronin looked around, not quite believing that the ordeal was over.

"Ryo!"

The group turned at the cheerful salutation, and grins broke out over their weary faces when they saw Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze running toward them. Yuli flung his arms around Ryo's legs seconds before White Blaze nudged his head against his master. Both were clearly glad to see the ronin again.

"Hey! Calm down, you two; everything's fine."

"Did you beat him? Did you get rid of Talpa?" Yuli asked.

"Yes, we did."

It was Selena who spoke. Mia saw her and gasped, recognizing her even though she still wore her armor. "You - !"

Apparently Yuli had forgotten Selena's earlier unnatural display of power because he pulled away from Ryo and asked, "Who are you?"

Truly noticing the new warrior for the first time, the ronin turned to face her. Ryo spoke first.

"Thanks for helping us back there, but – "

"Who are you?" this came from Kento, who gripped his naginata. Apparently he wasn't entirely convinced that this warrior was an ally.

Selena looked at each of her friends' faces, suddenly at a loss. She knew that this day would come, but somehow she always envisioned herself more prepared to handle it. She hesitated for a moment, and then her heart strengthened in resolve. Words wouldn't be enough, and her friends deserved more of an explanation than that.

She bowed her head as she undid her face guard and removed her helmet. Holding her kabuto in her suddenly trembling hand, she looked up.

The ronin wore varying expressions, but they were all a mixture of disbelief, astonishment, and – worst of all – betrayal.

For a moment no one spoke. Then:

"Selena?" Ryo's voice was hollow, and the sound echoed his hurt and bewildered gaze. "You're a ronin?"

* * *

**Notes:**

I borrowed several quotes from Homer's _Odyssey _and _Iliad_:

Rowen's challenge to Talpa (This is the end, Talpa. Here you die.) and Talpa's response (No, mighty warrior. It is you who shall perish on this day) is an adaptation of "Huge and mighty warrior though you are, here you shall die" from the _Iliad. _And Selena's cry when she strikes Talpa (Your last hour has come! Die in blood!) is from the _Odyssey_.

I had a lot of fun coming up with Selena's attack. Her element is Spirit, and so the best visual manifestation that I could come up with was light, colored gold to a) be visible b) match her armor c) be visually different from Sage's power and d) represent the purity and strength of the human spirit. As for the attack name, I went with 'soul' over 'spirit' because a) I felt that using 'spirit' was too obvious (the other ronin don't have their elements named in their attacks) and b) the soul is the center, or focal point of the spirit (plus, the words are synonyms).


	14. Changing Tides

**I found a part of the chapter that was accidentally deleted (a small part), and I've fixed it. The next chapter should be up soon.**

**Author's notes at the end.**

**

* * *

**_**Thirteen**_

The day began, as it had every day for nearly two weeks, with Selena sitting alone at a table pouring over dozens of scattered books. As the sun steadily rose, students slowly filtered through the library doors. Some settled in for long study sessions at tables nearby; many others took refuge in a chair or desk for a quick nap between classes. Muted conversations erupted around her as notes were swapped, plans made, and rumors exchanged, but aside from an occasional upward glance at her peers, Selena ignored them all.

She was at the University of Tokyo's General Library, a place that was rapidly becoming her second home. Since Talpa's defeat by the ronin warriors two weeks earlier – and the disastrous conversation that had taken place directly after the battle – Selena had spent the majority of her time in the library doing research.

Despite everything else that was going on in her life: the displacement that came with defeating the dynasty and returning to a more normal life, the Ancient's final spoken words had been bothering her. It was a worried feeling that she couldn't shake, and so she did the only thing to soothe her constant unease: research.

"The greatest treasure is the key to Talpa's defeat," Selena repeated to herself for the hundredth time, scanning the pages of the book in front of her. "The greatest treasure …"

Two weeks of searching led Selena to the conclusion that the phrase was actually a clue. But she had no idea what the clue was, or what it meant. The Ancient enjoyed speaking in riddles with obscure double – or even triple – meanings that she still found difficult to understand. But she did understand one thing: the Ancient was trying to tell her something about the dynasty and about Talpa. She had to know what that something was.

Her current obsession was also a distraction. Selena refused to admit it to herself, but she was deliberately keeping herself busy; using the riddle as a means to keep her thoughts focused on its decipher, instead of on other things. Like the ronin.

Selena's pencil snapped. She didn't notice the broken utensil in her hand, focused as she was on a nearby book, her eyes suddenly ablaze with barely concealed anger as that word triggered a barrage of unwanted memories and emotions.

She dipped her head and covertly wiped away a tear. Then, just as rapidly as they'd appeared, she shoved the rising emotions away; she didn't have time to deal with this, and she needed to get back to work.

But, as she picked up a new pencil from her bag, a stray, betraying thought crossed her mind.

_I hope they're okay …_

XX

On the other side of the city, another young woman sat in front of a computer, also researching. She typed something into the computer and a single line of text appeared on the screen. Mia frowned and flipped through a small notebook on the desk to her right.

"That's strange," she murmured to herself. She looked at the text on the screen and back at the open notebook. Her frown deepened. "This can't be right."

"What's not right?" a deep voice said from behind her. Mia jumped in her chair, startled and turned around to see who had found her.

"Oh, Ryo it's you! You startled me."

"Sorry about that," the young man said. He nodded at the computer. "What are you doing?"

Suddenly Mia was nervous; her eyes flickered quickly from the open notebook to Ryo, and she even moved her chair so that she was blocking the computer screen from his view.

"Oh, just a little research on the armors," she said airily, but Ryo wasn't convinced. In three steps he was next to her, and his eyes narrowed when he found her search entry.

"I – " Mia searched for an excuse, but Ryo interrupted her.

"You're looking for information about the tenth armor. About her."

Mia chose to ignore the way in which he ground out 'her' and instead concentrated on the slightly less volatile subject of the tenth ronin armor.

"Ryo, think about it: a new armor! With new abilities, new powers; it's totally unexplored! Not even my grandfather knew about it. Who knows what this armor is capable of, and how it affects your own armors!"

"I don't want to know about it."

Mia was shocked. "But Ryo, we need – "

"I said I don't want to know!" the young man shouted and stormed out. Mia stared after him, surprise and dismay plainly on her face while the query continued to blink dully on the computer screen.

XX

Ryo quickly left Mia, eager to put as much distance as possible between himself and truths that he wasn't ready to face. He could not deny that there was another ronin armor, just as he could not deny that Selena was its guardian – no matter how hard he tried to. But the pain of her betrayal was too deep and too fresh for him to think of anything else.

He went from room to room, barely noticing where he was or where he was going. He just knew that he had to get away from the thoughts that haunted him. He entered a room where Cye and Kento were playing a game, but he didn't stop even to say hello to them.

Kento apparently didn't notice his friend's mood because he looked up at Ryo and smiled.

"Ryo! Wanna join me and Cye in – ?"

Ryo barely glanced at his friend. "No," he said shortly, and that single word revealed his anger. His friends watched him leave, surprised at his behavior. Cye blinked. "What's the matter with him?" he asked but Kento only shrugged, just as clueless.

Mia stepped into the room, sighing wearily. "He found out that I was researching the tenth armor."

The mood in the room immediately changed. "Oh," Cye said, subdued. He looked in the direction where Ryo had gone. "That explains it."

Again, Mia ignored the ronin's tone; every time someone brought up Selena or the tenth armor, the group got like this. It had been going on for two weeks, and Mia was tired of it. She was mentally exhausted and she just didn't have the energy to deal with their moods right now.

"Have Sage and Rowen come back with the food yet?"

Her sudden change of subject snapped Cye out of whatever reverie he was in.

"Huh? Oh, no. Not yet."

"Man," Kento huffed from where he sat on the couch, "they've been gone forever. What could be taking them so long? I'm hungry!"

Mia smiled faintly at the young man. "I have no idea." She looked at Cye. "Let me know when they get back so I can start making dinner."

Cye nodded. "Yeah, sure," he said and Mia left the room, determined to continue her research.

XX

Rowen and Sage cruised down the winding road that led to the lodge, enjoying the bright clear sky; there had been too few of these in the last few months. It was yet another reminder that the dynasty was truly gone, and proof that their battles had been worth the sacrifice of their normal lives.

Sage craned his head to watch a flock of birds fly by overhead. It seemed like an insignificant event, but the ronin hadn't seen wildlife in three months; the dynasty's evil had destroyed the animals that hadn't been able to run away. And so Sage savored the sight of the flock flying freely against the clear blue sky, and enjoyed its simple beauty.

"We were lucky," he muttered. Rowen glanced at him from the driver's seat. "What?"

Sage kept his eyes on the birds as he spoke. "Talpa nearly killed us. We were so close to losing all of this." He gestured widely to their surroundings. "We were lucky."

"Yeah," Rowen agreed. Surprisingly, Sage kept talking.

"If it hadn't been for Ryo's white armor, we'd be dead."

"And Selena." At the mention of her name, Sage tore his gaze from the sky and sent Rowen a warning look, but the ronin ignored it.

"Ryo wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. She saved us."

"She also lied to us."

Rowen shrugged. "So maybe she had a reason for not telling us she was a ronin."

Sage raised an eyebrow in doubt. "Like what?"

Rowen sighed in sudden irritation. "I don't know. Maybe she was protecting us."

Sage didn't bother hiding his disbelief at this announcement. "Protecting us? We were the ones protecting her!"

"Not always. How many times did she run off and do something that we thought was incredibly stupid, and yet it made things easier for us?"

Sage was quiet as he digested this and after a moment, Rowen continued. His voice was soft as he remembered.

"Right before Anubis went berserk, I ran into Selena in the subway. Dynasty soldiers were chasing her, but she refused to let me take care of them. She drew them out and put herself in danger so I wouldn't have to fight."

"She told me to leave her in the tunnel and find Ryo," Sage's voice was quiet as well. "She said that separating us was a trick and that we'd be stronger together."

Rowen nodded. "And we were. We kicked Anubis's ass that day because we were united. Because she saved us from the dynasty's trick. Because she brought us together."

Sage crossed his arms over his chest, clearly not happy with his friend's logic and this new picture of Selena he was painting. "That doesn't excuse her for lying to us."

"No, but like I said, maybe she had a reason for not telling us." Rowen shifted in his seat. "Personally, I'd like to hear what she has to say."

Sage stared at Rowen like he was crazy. "You mean bring her back?"

A large boulder rolled onto the road and stole Rowen's answer from him. He slammed the brakes and turned to avoid slamming into the rock. The car swerved, there was the screech of tires as rubber transferred abruptly to pavement, and they came to a halt on a service road. Rowen and Sage got out of the car and looked at the boulder in consternation; they weren't anywhere near a mountain or cliff!

"Where the hell did that come from?"

Then suddenly, like someone flipped a switch, the sky went dark.

XX

At the university, Selena swore loudly.

"Fuck!" Heads swiveled in her direction, but Selena ignored them. She stared at her notes in horror, barely believing what she'd discovered.

"He's back."

XX

Dark clouds blotted out the sunlight and an unearthly wind whipped around the two young men as they scanned the area for the source of the sudden weather change. They didn't have to wait long.

Lightning struck the ground to their right and a giant red and black gateway sprung from the ground and extended high into the air. Rowen and Sage stared at it in shock.

"But we defeated the dynasty! That shouldn't be here!"

Deep laughter rang around them and to the ronins' horror, the gate slowly opened. Thick, black smoke drifted between the open doorway, obscuring their view of whatever was coming out of the gate. From within the dark cloud a voice spoke.

"Foolish boy! The dynasty is not dead; I am proof enough of that!"

Whatever it was appeared to be laughing at them. Sage and Rowen glanced at each other, each thinking the same thing: _The dynasty wasn't gone?_

As the figure fully entered the human world, the wraithlike smoke that masked its presence began to dissipate. The ronin were able to make out a pair of big, hulking legs, and then a massive torso and arms – fully armored – before they finally saw its face: a white shikami mask with jagged black scar lines that pulled the mask into a terrifying frown of rage.

The demon – for that was clearly what it was – gripped the immense scythe by his side and turned it so that the tip faced the two boys.

"I am Saranbo, terror of the Netherrealm! You will give me the White Armor, or you will die!"

"I don't think so, Saranbo!"

The demon chuckled. "Then die!" With a single swipe of his scythe, the ground at Rowen and Sage's feet opened up and hissed in rage. The two easily jumped out of the way, gripping their powerballs as they did so. When they landed their clothing had disappeared, and in its place were their subarmors. Sage glared at their new opponent.

"Why do you want the White Armor?"

Saranbo didn't reply, he just attacked. He lashed out with his scythe and struck both Rowen and then Sage in the chest. The ronin fell and quickly stood to face the demon, but Saranbo wasn't interested in allowing them the time to return the attack. He swiped with his scythe again, this time aiming for and grabbing the ronin under their arms.

Rowen cried out as the sharp blade caught him and he was unable to do anything as he was lifted off the ground, partially impaled on the scythe and then thrown into the air. Saranbo's eyes flashed bright green and Rowen's relief at being released from the pointed blade was short-lived as he suddenly found himself suspended in an electric sphere.

Sage ran at Saranbo, hoping that the demon's distraction would serve him, but Saranbo saw him and used the ronin's momentum against him as he, too was caught on the end of the long scythe and discarded mid-air. Soon both ronin were trapped in the electric spheres. They struggled to release themselves but any movement was met with several sharp shocks from their spheres that electrocuted them and made their muscles contract so that they couldn't even scream.

Luckily for them, Saranbo was not interested in torture. He wanted only one thing, and he checked to see if the two ronin had it. He soon had his answer.

"You do not have what I seek," He informed the trapped ronin. "You are fortunate, for now."

Then, just as suddenly as he came, the demon disappeared. The spheres vanished, and the two ronin dropped to the ground, overwhelmed with what had just happened.

XX

When Rowen and Sage finally returned to the lodge, they collapsed into the first open chairs they saw, completely exhausted even though it was only late afternoon. Kento found them first.

"Finally! Took you guys long enough. I'll go tell Mia that the food's here." Kento paused, wondering why neither Sage nor Rowen were speaking to him, and took a closer look at his friends. When he noticed their exhaustion and haggard appearance, he became worried. "Hey, are you guys alright?"

Rowen slowly shook his head; he had a headache and he didn't want to aggravate it. "We were attacked," he muttered.

Kento's eyes went wide. "What? By who?"

"Pixies," Sage shot out, and then opened one eye to glare at Kento. "By the dynasty!"

"That's impossible! We defeated those goons two weeks ago!"

"Yeah, well they're back."

Rowen sat up and interrupted off Kento's heated response. "Trust us on this one, okay Kento?" The young man frowned, but nodded his assent. "Okay," Rowen continued. "Get the others; we need to talk."

The small group assembled in record time. When everyone was settled, Ryo urged his friends to start.

"Okay," he said. "What happened?"

Rowen spoke first. "We were driving back here from the city, when a boulder appeared out of nowhere and almost smashed the car. We got out and a gateway to the dynasty shot out of the ground and into the sky."

"Then this demon called Saranbo came out of the gate. He said that the dynasty wasn't dead, and demanded that we give him the White Armor. When we said no, he kicked our asses and then disappeared."

It was a measure of Sage's irritation that he was being so sarcastic, which his friends understood and duly ignored.

"What I don't understand is how this demon even knows about the White Armor," Mia said, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I guess word spreads around quick in the Netherrealm," Sage muttered as Cye spoke over him.

"However he found out doesn't matter; what does is that he knows about it. Mia," he said, turning toward the woman, "have you been able to find anything about the White Armor?"

Mia flushed at this. "A little," she admitted. "I haven't looked in to it as much as I would like," she said, risking a glance at Ryo as she said this, but if he understood her meaning he thankfully didn't react. Shaking herself, Mia continued.

"The White Armor is created from the energies of all of your armors. It is more powerful than any of your armors, but it saps the energy of its wearer."

The ronin were surprised. "Why does it do that?"

Mia shook her head. "I don't know. Perhaps I'll find an answer once I research it more."

"Wait, back up a sec," Kento said. He was frowning; something was bothering him. "Why, if all of our armors are needed to make Inferno, would this Saranbo just attack you guys and leave? Wouldn't he want to capture all of us?"

Sage shook his head. "I don't think he knows how the armor works; just that he wants it."

"Besides," Rowen said, "he mentioned something about us not having what he was looking for. I guess he figured he didn't need us."

"So he knows that one of us wears the Inferno Armor, he just doesn't know who."

"Which means that he will probably attack each of us in turn to find out who does have it."

An uneasy silence descended over the group as the information sunk in. The dynasty was back. Each of the ronin were needed to create the powerful Inferno Armor. A demon had attacked and nearly killed two of the ronin. And this demon had made it clear at what costs he would obtain the Inferno Armor, an armor which neither they nor the demon knew much about.

Rowen broke the silence first.

"We need to find Selena."

Like it had never left, Ryo's anger returned in one swift tidal wave of emotion. "No," he said and that one word froze all other responses on the ronins' lips.

For some reason, Ryo was the most hurt by Selena's betrayal. He took it very hard, and refused to entertain any thoughts of allowing her back. No one knew why and he refused to speak of it.

But Rowen remained steadfast in the face of his leader's fury. "If Saranbo attacked us, he will go after her, too."

"She can take care of herself."

"Perhaps. But she is still one of us. No matter how you may feel, she is a ronin and part of this team."

Ryo refused to be moved. "No. We don't need her to create the Inferno Armor and we don't need her now. We can defeat Saranbo ourselves."

"Ryo, it isn't like you to rush into a plan," Cye admonished. "We don't know Saranbo or what he is capable of."

"We don't know Selena, either," Sage reminded Cye.

"Yeah!" Kento cried. "She lied to us about being a ronin; who knows what else she lied about?"

"But we can't just leave her without any knowledge of the dynasty's return!" Cye pleaded but the ronin would hear none of it.

"Enough!" Ryo yelled. Startled at his force, the ronin fell silent. "Selena is not our concern, the dynasty is." He looked at each of the ronin in turn and knew that whatever decision he made they would follow. He didn't hesitate. "We will handle Saranbo on our own."

XX

Mia listened to the ronins' plan to trap Saranbo with dull ears and a worried heart. Rowen's defense of Selena had sparked a flame of hope within her, one that Ryo had so thoughtlessly crushed. He was so angry with Selena! And although she – to an extent – could understand, she also knew without a doubt that in his anger and hurt Ryo was losing sight of the larger picture.

Rowen was right. The team would not be complete without Selena. And, she remembered what the Ancient told her: that when united, the ronin armors were capable of amazing power.

_**When they are in harmony with the soul of their armor and with each other, the armors' true power will come forth.**_

That was when there were only five; now there were six and the ronin were about to confront an enemy down one member and with an armor that they did not understand. Whether they were aware of it or not, the ronin were in danger.

It was for these reasons that, when they left, Mia grabbed her car keys and headed to the city, hoping desperately that she could find her estranged friend.

XX

By the time the ronin returned to the place where Saranbo appeared, it was rapidly growing dark. Prepared for the fight, all of them wore their armors and had their weapons at the ready. Kento looked around, unimpressed and anxious for the demon to arrive.

"If this guy Saranbo is so great, why isn't he here already?"

"Kento, hush," Sage admonished his friend. "Saranbo is powerful. He took out Rowen and I by himself."

"Yeah, well it won't be so easy with five of us."

In an instant the evening plunged into darkness.

"Do you think so, ronin?" Saranbo challenged, abruptly appearing in front of Kento. The ronin jumped from the demon's sudden proximity, but quickly regained his composure.

"Hurt my friends, will ya? You're toast!"

Kento spun his naginata and released the weapon, but the demon became transparent and the deadly weapon went straight through his shadow. Saranbo laughed as Kento missed and disappeared, melting into the shadows completely.

"Kento! Cye! Watch out!" Ryo cried, but he was too late. Saranbo's scythe shot out from the shadows of the surrounding trees and slashed viciously at the two unsuspecting warriors. The attack hit them both.

But even as they fell, the other three returned fire, their attacks centered on the spot where the scythe had appeared.

"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!"

"THUNDER BOLT CUT!"

"FLARE UP NOW!"

The ronin unleashed their fury on the forest. Trees, bushes, and even the grass were consumed by their combined attacks. When it dissipated, a large section of the woods was gone, burnt beyond recognition.

Despite their power, Saranbo still stood.

Rowen cursed. "Damn it! Not even a scratch!"

"What do we do?"

Saranbo answered for them, the point of his scythe gleaming wickedly in the low moonlight. "You die."

XX

Mia found her in the library hunched over a pile of books. She watched as Selena occasionally paused to scribble something in her notes, and then returned her focus to the pile in front of her. Gathering her courage, Mia walked over to her and stood in front of the woman's desk. Her shadow covered the page Selena was reading, and she glanced up. If she was surprised to see Mia, she didn't show it.

"Mia," Selena said, pointedly returning to her book. "I noticed that you weren't in class yesterday."

Mia waited, but Selena didn't continue. That was all the acknowledgement she was going to get.

"No," Mia finally replied. "I was busy with other things."

"I bet you were."

Mia sighed; she didn't have time for this. She leaned across the table and grabbed the woman's arm.

"Selena, please." Her voice was pleading, and Selena couldn't help but look at her. Mia took a deep breath. "We need your help."

XX

The ronin tried to cry out, but they couldn't; the electricity running through their bodies prevented them from making even the smallest sounds. Saranbo approached them slowly.

"Now, you will tell me where the White Armor is," he ordered, looking over each of the ronin in turn.

Fighting with all his might, Ryo managed to pull himself up. He glared at Saranbo and spit back a curse. With a lazy gesture, the demon increased the intensity of the electric shocks.

Ryo's screams were painful to the ronin, who felt their companion's agony cut through to their souls.

Saranbo ignored him. Instead he focused on the others, checking them one by one. When he didn't find what he sought, he turned to Ryo.

"You are the one," he muttered to himself and with his hopes rising in anticipation, he checked Ryo's aura for confirmation. What he saw was not what he expected.

"This is impossible!" Saranbo cried, and his reaction was so deep that his powers faltered. The five ronin fell to the ground, nearly unconscious from their ordeal. Saranbo looked at them in stupefied disbelief, barely aware that they were no longer in his control.

"None of you have the White Armor!"

The ronin barely heard him; their ears were still ringing from the demon's assault, and they had a difficult time getting their arms and legs to move; their exhausted muscles refused to obey their commands, opting instead to lie limply on the ground.

Luckily for them, Saranbo was still raging about his discovery.

"But I saw it! I felt its power!" He muttered to himself. The demon's rising panic only fueled his anger, and his fury increased. "You are keeping it from me!" he screamed at the ronin, pointing his blade at them menacingly.

He approached Ryo and stood in front of the struggling ronin. He kneeled until he was face to face with the boy, and placed the tip of his scythe underneath the ronin's chin, and against his exposed throat. The demon's next words were laced with malice. "You will give it to me, or you will die."

A piercing light struck Saranbo in his arm, saving Ryo from a ghastly death. The demon turned, looking for its source. An angry shout helped him in his search.

"Hey, ugly! Leave them alone!"

He saw her in the instant she spoke. Silhouetted against the moonlight, in her armor she looked like an avenging angel, the shadow of death itself.

Saranbo was stunned. "Another ronin?" He turned back to Ryo, his mask glinting darkly. "So you were hiding something from me." He returned his focus to this new arrival. "You must be the one with the White Armor! Give it to me!"

Ryo heard Saranbo speaking, and, thinking the demon's words were aimed at him forced his raw throat to reply when he heard another voice – a familiar voice – answer instead. Confused, the ronin leaned over until he could see past Saranbo. When he saw the figure, his eyes grew wide.

"Selena?"

"Give me the armor!" Saranbo demanded again, and Selena decided that she was done talking. She raised her odachi, holding it expertly, and leaped at the oversized demon.

He stepped out of her way, which was precisely what she wanted; it forced the demon away from Ryo and the other ronin. He struck at her with the scythe, which she tried to block and at the last second changed to a somewhat successful deflect; part of his blade still managed to hit her sode (shoulder armor), leaving a nasty-looking gash behind.

Selena grimaced but did not give up. While he pulled his weapon back for another attack, she swiped low and cut from the demon's lower torso to the middle of his chest. Saranbo touched his scarred armor in disbelief. When he raised his head to look at Selena, it was with renewed anger.

While they fought, the ronin slowly regained their strength. They watched with barely believing eyes as their forgotten companion doggedly fought against the powerful demon.

"Ryo," Rowen managed to speak despite his dry throat and chapped lips, "we have to help her."

The ronin refused to look at his friend, or answer. He already knew what needed to be done, but he held back. Selena's desperate battle with Saranbo continued, and he looked at the ground. He wouldn't look at her, either.

A sudden flare of light blinded him, and he heard the others gasp, but Ryo kept his eyes trained on the ground.

"She's cornered!" he heard Cye yell.

_She lied …_

"She needs our help!"

_She betrayed us …_

"He will kill her!"

_She is a ronin …_

"Ryo!"

"All right!" He yelled, snapping his head up, and the ronin saw that his gaze was blazing with determination. Ryo glanced at where Saranbo stood over Selena. He had her cornered and was pushing her into the ground with his scythe against her sword. She had one hand on her blade, the other in the dirt as she struggled against him. Ryo looked back at his fellow warriors. "He wants the White Armor so badly; let's give it to him!"

Each ronin glowed. With his back to them, Saranbo failed to see their transformation, but Selena did. She gasped, which Saranbo mistook for fright and laughed.

"Now it is time to see my armor!" He crowed. Selena returned her gaze to the demon and so she did not see Rowen attack.

Saranbo's scream of rage doubled as the ronin's arrow embedded in the demon's arm. He dropped his weapon, which Selena hastily shoved away with her own. With him distracted, Selena tried to slip away unnoticed, but she was not so lucky. Saranbo grabbed her arm and twisted her so that she faced him.

"You do not have my armor!" he yelled, his scream belaying his fury. Selena, who had no interest in his rants, gathered her strength and sliced the hand that gripped her with one swift stroke.

Saranbo screamed again and Selena backed away, but still the demon came after her.

"You are – "

Suddenly desperate, Selena cried, "Ryo!"

With the Armor of Inferno barely settled on him, Ryo screamed, "RAGE OF INFERNO!"

Selena quickly joined with her own attack, her cries just as fervent as her companion's. With their combined strength, Saranbo didn't last long. He got one glance at the armor he so desperately wanted before wicked hot flames and equally searing golden light whipped around him, dispelling his the darkness he drew his powers from and consuming him in a sudden rush of liquid fire.

Ryo cried out at the shear energy he was expelling, but despite this pushed harder to destroy the annoying demon. Saranbo's despairing cry - amazingly - was heard above the roar of the flames, veering in pitches until it suddenly ceased, silenced forever.

Selena stood, breathing heavily as she sought to calm her nerves. What had that demon seen? Obviously he'd been looking for something. Had he known what she truly was? Is that why he'd refused to let her go?

A quiet cough interrupted her thoughts and she turned to face the very people who'd forsaken her two weeks ago.

The ronin had returned to their normal armors, including Ryo, and Selena noted with some satisfaction that they all still stood despite their obvious fatigue. They stared at each other, no one sure of what to do, and the awkward moment stretched. Finally, Rowen stepped forward. He walked until he was in front of Selena and held out his hand.

Selena stared at the offering for a moment before a smile broke out over her face, and she clasped her hand in Rowen's.

"Thank you," he said, giving her hand a squeeze before he let her go. He started walking back to the others and she followed.

As she joined the group she caught Ryo's eye and her smile faltered at the blatant mistrust in his gaze. Selena sighed, turning toward Rowen and a timidly smiling Cye.

It was a start, but she had a long way to go.

* * *

**Notes:**

So yes, things are far from perfect after Selena's revelation as a ronin. It may seem a little harsh, but can you really blame the ronin for being upset with her? Even though she had good reason, she did lie to them for several months. Trust is broken, the team is fractured, and they will take a while to mend.

_Shikami_ are demon masks worn by Noh actors, a form of Japanese theater. They are usually red and the face is frozen in a deep scowl as an expression of masculine rage.

And I found this song strangely appropriate for this chapter: Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne. It started playing on my iTunes when I writing the section where the ronin were arguing over whether or not to tell Selena about Saranbo. I almost cried because I felt like it was Selena trying to reassure the ronin that she is still – and always has been – on their side, like she was trying to tell them, "Trust me."

Saranbo could not find the White Armor in any of the ronin because it takes the power of the five armors to create it; it lives in all of them. So Kento was correct; if Saranbo had understood how the Inferno Armor worked, then he would have to capture all of the ronin to get the armor to come forth.


	15. Finding Fervor

Hey all! I will be on a short hiatus - I'm flying to the other side of the country to visit family for a week. Expect the next chapter in two weeks! Until then, enjoy!

* * *

_**Fourteen**_

Just beyond the city stood a large white lodge. Nearby was a lake, its waters glistening in the mid-morning sun. A flock of birds squawked as they flew overhead on their way to their home in the forest that flanked the house. Usually the isolation was comforting, and it provided the home's more unusual occupants with desperately needed privacy. But today the seclusion only served to deepen the group's already somber mood.

Ryo's swords were broken. Damaged in the fight against Saranbo, their condition was verified by Mia who cautioned Ryo against using them in battle unless the stress became too much and the swords fractured completely.

Needless to say, this news did not improve Ryo's mood. Selena watched as he avoided everyone – especially her – and brooded over the problem. He used to check in on Mia every so often to see how her research was coming – she'd promised to look into possible solutions – but had stopped after walking in on Selena conferring with Mia about the Wildfire swords.

Selena had glanced at him briefly before returning to her work, dismissing him in a single simple movement. He'd left shortly after, his hard footsteps signaling his irritation.

Mia had sighed. "Give him time," she'd said.

Selena snorted, the memory disappearing as she stared at the books in front of her. Time was the one thing they didn't have. The ronin knew that the dynasty was back, but what they didn't yet realize was that the threat was more than power hungry warlords; Talpa had returned with the dynasty. He hadn't made his move yet, but he would – and soon. Selena could feel it. And if the ronin warriors weren't functioning as a team by the time the demon emperor returned, the world was doomed.

Selena sighed wearily. Yet again the fate of the human world rested in the abilities of a handful of bickering teenagers. And they didn't even know it yet; how could they when three of the ronin refused to speak to her?

"This is not what I signed up for," she groaned, rubbing her temple as she watched Rowen argue about something with Sage outside.

That was another thing. Since her return, the team had split up into camps: those who were against trusting her and those who wanted to give her a chance. Ryo had the power to bring them together, but he was firmly in the 'do no trust Selena' camp, and until he sorted through his own feelings the group was left without the guidance they needed.

"What'd ya say, Selena?"

She looked over at Yuli, who stared back at her over the massive tome he had propped up against the room's tiny desk. He'd returned this morning after calling to say that his parents – who remembered nothing of their ordeal as the dynasty's hostages – were going on a vacation. He'd asked if he could stay with them, which the ronin readily agreed to; they missed their young friend who'd done so much to help them defeat the dynasty.

"I'm sorry, Yuli; I didn't mean to disturb you. Have you found anything yet?" Almost as soon as he arrived he'd volunteered to help the women with their research, and so Selena had him searching for a possible answer or clue behind her master's riddle.

The boy shook his head. "Uh-uh. This riddle is a hard one."

"Yes, it is," Selena agreed. "But we need to figure it out if we hope to defeat the dynasty."

"Selena," Yuli said, leaning on the book with an elbow propped under his chin, "why don't you ask Mia to help you find an answer to your riddle? I bet she has lots of stuff on her computer."

"Mia's busy trying to find a way to fix Ryo's swords; this would be too much for her right now."

"Hmm," Yuli said, thinking. "Do you think that's why Ryo's upset? Because his swords are broken?"

Selena sighed and her shoulders sagged. "That's part of it. But he's also mad at me."

"What? Why?" Yuli looked alarmed and Selena couldn't help but smile slightly at the boy's innocence.

"Because I'm a ronin and I didn't tell him."

"Oh." The boy's face scrunched up in confusion. "Why didn't you tell him you were a ronin?"

Selena sighed. There were a million answers to that question, it seemed, and none of them were brief. She glanced back out the window, and saw that Rowen was alone. He looked troubled, upset.

_They are falling apart_, Selena thought, and she didn't just mean the team. _They need resolution._

"They need answers," she murmured.

Suddenly Selena stood up. Her gaze was determined.

"Enough is enough," she muttered and headed out of the room, leaving her books on Japanese mythology scattered on her bed and a startled Yuli staring after her.

She was so focused on finding the ronin that she didn't even see Cye until he was standing in front of her on the stairs. He'd been heading up and his surprise at seeing her told Selena that he'd been looking for her.

"Selena," he said, "we need to talk."

Selena nodded. "I agree. I'll get Rowen, Mia, and Kento; you find the others. Be in the living room in fifteen minutes. I'll explain what I can."

XX

It took some persuading, but finally Cye and Selena – with a little help from Yuli – managed to get everyone gathered in one place. Selena noted the space between the ronin, their defensive body language, and the protective way in which White Blaze positioned himself next to Ryo, who gazed at her with blatant mistrust. All in all, it was a tense affair.

"What is this about?" Ryo asked; his eyes fixed on Selena as he spoke. There was warning in his voice, and it was directed at her.

Cye heard it and quickly answered, eager to prevent a fight before the discussion even began.

"Everyone's been on edge since we found out there is a tenth armor, and it's got to stop. So I asked her to talk to us."

Kento immediately protested. "Why should we believe anything she's got to say?"

The barb hit home; Selena flinched as the accusation pierced her like a knife, but it didn't stop her from responding to her accuser.

"Because I'm a ronin, just like each of you."

"So what?" This was from Sage. He stood at the other end of the room with his arms crossed. He glared at Selena, clearly not happy with her. "Why didn't you tell us who you were? Why did you hide?"

Selena clamped down on her rising anger before speaking. "I did not hide; not in the way you are implying."

Kento snorted in derision, but quickly fell silent under Selena's swift glare. Satisfied that he would not speak, she continued. "I had my reasons for keeping my identity from you, and I will explain – if you will listen without interruption."

Cye and Rowen nodded, as did Mia and finally Sage. Kento inclined his head slightly, and Yuli bobbed his head, open-mouthed in curious excitement. Ryo's unforgiving stare never changed, but he made no protest and so Selena took his silence as agreement.

She swallowed – this was her one chance – and began.

XX

"First," she said, glancing at the seven faces staring back at her, "you must know that I am not only a ronin, but the disciple of the Ancient One as well." Selena ignored the shock waves that swept through the group at this announcement and continued.

"Kaos was his real name, or at least it was in this life. I was his student for nearly five years. It was he who taught me how to use my armor, how to harness its power, how to truly be its guardian and its chosen warrior."

She leaned forward and gestured with her hands as she spoke. "You see Talpa never knew that there was a tenth armor, just as you did not. It was forged in secret by my master and kept hidden to protect the world in case Talpa returned. The Armor of Fervor was a failsafe to defend the Earth in the event that the other nine armors were captured or corrupted by Talpa."

Selena paused, backtracking a little in her story. "To understand why I did not tell you about the armor, you must understand why I am its guardian. The armor chose me because of my devotion to my responsibilities." Selena's eyes and voice grew distant as she remembered a rarely visited past. "I've always been that way; even my mother used to joke that I was born 30 years old."

After a moment she shook her memories off and brought herself back to the present. Her voice was strong with renewed determination. "The Fervor Armor's virtue is duty, and so is mine." She looked at the ronin, glad to see that she had their undivided attention – including Ryo's.

"It was my duty to ensure that the tenth armor remained undetected and unknown. I accepted the burden of that responsibility when I chose to become Fervor's guardian, and although I can't say that I don't have any regrets regarding my decisions in the last few months, I will say this: I do not regret keeping you ignorant. Protecting the armor was paramount to your trust, although I am sorry to have lost it."

Selena fell silent, and long after it became clear that she was finished still no one spoke. Selena forced herself to look at the group, even though she was afraid to; she didn't think she could bear another rejection.

Yuli was looking at her with an expression between awe and utter confusion, while Mia looked like she couldn't wait to get to her computer to type everything down. The ronin, who Selena was the most concerned with, all had various reactions to her story.

Sage was thinking hard with a frown on his face while Rowen had a smug expression; Kento appeared to be absolutely dumbfounded; Cye – somewhat alarmingly – had his face set in what could only be described as a grave manner; and Ryo had replaced his glare with a more hopeful puzzled frown.

Selena didn't know what to make of it all, and her own nerves weren't helping. And so she anxiously laced her fingers together against her legs and waited.

Surprisingly it was Mia who spoke first.

"It makes sense." She spoke haltingly at first, but continued with a growing conviction. "That explains why there are no recordings of a tenth armor; no one thought it existed!"

"Yes, but why didn't the Ancient tell us any of this?"

Selena looked at Sage, who'd asked the question. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "He had his reasons; he always did." She jolted suddenly, remembering something. "There is something else you should know." Selena paused, gathering herself. "Before the Ancient – " she hesitated, her voice wobbling, " – before he died, he told me something; a riddle. He said, 'the greatest treasure will lead to Talpa's defeat.'"

Kento stared at her. "What does that mean?"

Selena opened her mouth to answer, but Ryo interrupted her.

"It means that Talpa's back." She noticed that he had returned to his previous hardness as he leveled his gaze with hers. "But this time we don't have a secret to betray him with."

With his words echoing in the suddenly silent room, Ryo turned and left.

XX

Gradually the others left the room until only Selena, Yuli, and Rowen remained. Rowen passed a hand over his face and sighed wearily. He stood, walked over to Selena, and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. He squeezed gently in encouragement.

"Don't worry too much about Ryo," he said. "He'll come around eventually. He's just …" the young man trailed off.

"Hurt."

Rowen nodded. "Yeah. And the others, well they just need time."

Selena shook her head. "But Rowen, we don't have time. The dynasty is back; Saranbo was just the start. We can't afford to be bickering with the dynasty on the rise."

"I know." He sighed again. "Cye and me'll get the others to stop acting like fools, and then we'll face whatever the dynasty has to throw at us."

"Thanks," she said. Hearing the dejection in her voice, Rowen gave her shoulder one more squeeze before he left.

When he disappeared around the corner, it was Selena's turn to sigh. That could have gone better. Suddenly Yuli, who'd watched the exchange between the two adults in silent interest, spoke up.

"What did Rowen mean when he said that Ryo is hurt? And why did everybody leave?"

Selena turned to the boy. "Ryo is trying to protect his team from harm. For the moment, that includes me."

She thought of Rowen for a moment, and hoped that he and Cye would be successful in convincing the others that she was – and always had been – their ally. Which reminded her – she had a riddle to solve.

"Come on, Yuli," Selena ordered, standing. "We've got research to do."

XX

In the meantime, Mia was conducting research of her own. Ryo's outburst reminded her that she had yet to find anything that could help them restore the ronin's damaged swords. And so while she desperately wanted to examine Selena's account of the tenth armor, she put her wishes aside and focused on the task at hand.

Mia pulled up the files on the armor of Wildfire and the one that she'd created on the White Armor and groaned in frustration. There was so little information on the Inferno Armor, and what was available was mainly conjecture and hearsay.

After a quick read through revealed no new or obviously useful information, Mia pulled out her grandfather's notebook and flipped through it until she came to the notes she'd taken after Ryo's use of the Inferno armor. Maybe there was something she'd missed.

Hours later and with no discernable progress, Mia shut the notebook and shoved it away from her. She was annoyed. She couldn't find anything!

She drummed her fingers against the desk, irritated as she reviewed the information once more. One: the White Armor used the energies of the five ronin armors to form. Two: once settled, the armor took the energy of its wearer just to function, which was strange because none of the other armors did that.

She sighed; she was missing something.

Mia froze.

"Missing …"

She turned back to her computer and started typing rapidly. Some text popped up on the screen and Mia scanned it quickly, a smile growing on her face as she thumbed through it. When she saw the image attached to the document, she whooped in triumph.

"I knew it!" she crowed.

"Know what?"

Mia looked up, the grin still on her face. It was Selena; she'd sent Yuli off to play and had come to see if Mia needed any help.

"I found a way to save Ryo's swords and stabilize the Inferno armor! Look, there are these swords; they are very powerful and are exactly what Ryo needs!"

"What do you mean?"

"The Inferno armor absorbs Ryo's energy while he's wearing it. I didn't understand why because the other armors don't do that, but then I remembered what Ryo said about his battle with Saranbo – that it felt like the Inferno armor was pushing its energy through his Wildfire swords, and that's when it hit me; the White Armor needs more energy to properly function!"

Selena looked over the young woman's shoulder to the picture on the screen.

"And how do these swords help?"

"Like I said, they're very powerful. They should be enough to counterbalance the energy that Inferno is missing."

Mia grinned; it felt good to have days of hard research pay off.

Selena returned her grin with a small smile of her own. "Well, Ryo will be happy to hear that. Where are the swords?"

"You won't believe this; they're at the base of the same volcano where Ryo's armor was forged. These swords truly do belong to him!"

Mia continued, but Selena wasn't listening; instead she stared, thunderstruck at the search term that Mia had used to locate the missing piece of the Inferno armor:

_Armor of Fervor_

Selena glanced at Mia, but the woman didn't notice her look or the sudden tensing of her body.

_She found the missing link, all right_, Selena thought. _It just isn't the swords._

XX

When Ryo found out about the swords, he wanted to find them immediately. And so several hours later the group found themselves walking through the Aokigahara Forest at the base of the volcano where Mia said the swords were located.

The forest was really barely more than a handful of trees, most of which bore the marks of a large and fairly recent conflagration – courtesy of Ryo and Anubis's fiery attacks. The volcano itself was a shadow of its former self; an entire side was missing.

Government officials had latched onto this as evidence of a volcanic eruption, even though no one could remember it happening. No one dared refute this argument –after all, half of the mountain _was _missing, and the group found, to their surprise and relief, that the supposed volcanic eruption was blamed for a variety of other unexplained events, such as the massive damage done to the city and the sudden drop in wildlife. Only the ronin and their two companions knew otherwise. They intended to keep it that way.

Selena stepped over a scorched log, shifting her bag that she'd finally managed to retrieve from Mia's car on her shoulder, and thought of another who knew the truth of what had happened here: Anubis. A lot had changed since they first fought on the mountaintop. Coincidentally, a search for a missing sword had been part of that quest as well.

Selena smiled, and for the first time in weeks wondered how Anubis was doing.

XX

Elsewhere, in a place that was not a place, a former servant of darkness awakened from the deep stillness of meditation and opened his eyes.

It was time.

XX

"Hey! I found something!" Kento cried. He stood at the edge of a wide, triangular shaped crevice. Small green plants flourished in one corner, heralding the start of the forest's re-nourishment. The rest of the group gathered around Kento and peered into the crevice. Three faint white lights shone in the darkness below.

"Do you think that's it?" Cye asked.

"That's a long way down," Yuli whistled. He looked up at the ronin. "Do you think we can get down there?"

"It won't be easy, but we can do it," Sage said.

"I have this," Selena said and held up a rope from her bag. "I thought we might need it."

Sage looked at her, surprise registering on his face before he spoke. "And so we did. Thank you, Selena."

"Here, let me help you with that," Kento said, taking the rope from her and tying it around a large rock nearby.

Selena stared at the two ronin in surprise until she caught Rowen's wink and then she understood. She turned, found Cye and saw that he was smiling. She smiled back; it looked like their talk had been successful.

Ryo, however, was unmoved.

"Come on, White Blaze," he said, and jumping on the tiger's back, headed into the pit.

Selena rolled her eyes and tested the strength of Kento's knot. "I'll go first," she volunteered, wondering if Ryo knew how big of an ass he was being. "Probably not," she muttered as she lowered herself into the crevice. "Stupid, stubborn teenager."

She found Ryo at the bottom of the crevice standing next to one of the three lights. They hummed with energy. One discharged suddenly; a small purple thread that skittered at an angle upward. It fanned out briefly before it disappeared and Selena realized that the lights formed a barrier. Ryo either didn't notice the discharge or didn't care; he was staring unblinking into the center of the barrier where two identical swords were sheathed in black rock.

She had a few minutes before the next ronin joined them, and so Selena took this rare opportunity to speak to her former friend.

"Ryo – " she began but he interrupted her.

"Go away, Selena."

It was more words than he'd said to her in three days, but it was still a dismissal. Selena seethed.

"Ryo, listen to me!" Selena snapped, her anger flaring. "I am a ronin, too and trust me when I say that you will not be able to master the White Armor without me. You need me, Ryo, whether you want to admit it or not. And I'm not going anywhere."

She finished her lecture just as Sage dropped to the crevice floor. Selena took a step back but did not remove herself from Ryo's side; she'd said that she wasn't going anywhere and she meant it.

Aside from a subtle tightening of his fingers in White Blaze's fur, Ryo didn't acknowledge her but Selena hadn't expected him to. He'd heard her, and that was enough.

Fifteen minutes later the group stood around the lights, looking at the swords held within.

"How are you gonna get them?" Yuli asked, taking a step back when a sudden discharge startled him.

"The Circle," Ryo said and Sage, Rowen, Kento, and Cye nodded in understanding and agreement. Selena nodded, too although hers was for a different reason. She was remembering the last – and only – time the ronin had made the Circle of Light. Then, they had used it to protect herself, Mia, and Yuli from Anubis. Then, it was incomplete and not at full power. That would not be the case this time.

Mia and Yuli stepped out of the way as the six ronin brought their armors forth. Their subarmors took the place of their normal clothes, and crossing their arms in front of their chests, their respective armors appeared before them. The empty shells mirrored their guardians' movements. Once in place, colored beams of light shot from each armor, linking and intersecting with the others until they formed an unbreakable circle.

Together the six streams then created two interlocking triangles that, upon contact with the lights, disrupted the barrier that the lights had formed.

"Now, Ryo!" Rowen yelled. In a move that was almost too quick to see, Ryo somersaulted over the Circle, grabbed the swords, and pushing off of the black rock that had held them, flipped back into position. As soon as he touched the ground, the ronin released their control on their armors and the Circle disappeared. Free of the Circle's interference, the barrier reactivated in a shower of purple sparks.

The group paid this no heed; they had the swords that could stabilize the White Armor!

"Well?" Mia asked, excited. "How do they feel?"

Ryo didn't answer immediately. He flexed his grip on the swords, testing them and obviously waiting for something. When nothing happened, Ryo snapped.

"They're fake!" he yelled, slamming the handles against the hard crevice walls. The ronin made to stop him, but froze themselves when the swords shattered.

Mia stared at the broken shards in disbelief. "I don't understand," she murmured, bending down to pick up a piece of the blade. "What happened? Where are the real swords?"

Above them, a booming voice answered.

"I have them. And soon I will have the White Armor as well."

Selena looked up, trying to see the figure through the darkness. It was no easy task; the figure wore dark clothes and so blended in with the shadows in the deep crevice. The only thing she could make out was the stark white armor of the animal beside him. On its back was a harness, where the swords securely rested. White Blaze smelled this intruder and growled low, the hairs on his back standing on end.

The figure ignored the cat, pulled the swords from the harness and held them in his hands. "The Soul Swords of Fervor are mine," he crowed. "I knew you would come after them, and so I lured you here."

Ryo grew increasingly irritated; he needed those swords!

"Who are you?" he demanded while Selena stared at the demon in shock. The Soul Swords of Fervor? Where the hell had they come from? And why did they bear the same name as her armor? She was determined to find out.

In the meantime, the figure replied to Ryo's demand by jumping down to the ronins' level. The armored animal followed and the light illuminated their features.

Like Saranbo, this opponent also wore a mask. But his was golden and faceless. He was tall and his armor dark. A long cape fell from his shoulders to his booted ankles, and his faceless mask stared passively at the ronin. At his side stood a massive armored black tiger that was as dark as White Blaze was white. But unlike White Blaze, this tiger seemed unconcerned with his twin's warning growls; like his master, he stared calmly back at his opponent.

Finally the demon introduced himself. "I am Saber-Stryke, master swordsman from the Netherworld. You defeated Talpa and so I have come to challenge you for the right to wear the White Armor."

Cye blanched. "Why would we want to fight you?"

"Because you will not earn the Fervor Soul Swords otherwise."

"We'll fight you, buddy; no problem!" Kento yelled.

Saber-Stryke nodded his acceptance. "Very well. I will await you above ground. The battle will commence then."

With that he turned and leaped out of the crevice, and the black tiger followed. Ryo didn't wait for the others. In an instant he'd summoned his armor and with his eyes trained on where Saber-Stryke had disappeared over the ledge, he jumped on White Blaze's back and the two leaped out of sight.

"Wait!" Selena called, but it was too late. "Damn it!" she cursed.

Rowen agreed with her sentiment. "He's not thinking straight." He turned to the others. "Come on. Let's go after him before he gets himself killed."

XX

By the time they made out of the crevice and dropped off Mia and Yuli, Ryo was already in trouble. The black tiger had White Blaze occupied; the two giant cats swung, nipped, and tore at each other viciously, so that it was impossible for White Blaze to help his master. Ryo had to rely instead on his own damaged weapons, which he was reluctant to use. And so he quickly found himself on the defensive, and resorted to hand-to-hand combat and duck and run maneuvers.

Saber-Stryke quickly became annoyed with the ronin's tactics.

"I will not play such childish games," he shouted, swiping at Ryo with one of the Fervor swords. Ryo ducked and rolled, then turned and tried to block the demon's strike with his kote. The tactic failed. Saber-Stryke's blow was so hard that it nearly shattered Ryo's elbow. The ronin cried out and fell clutching his arm, which throbbed with excruciating pain.

The ronin took this in all in a single moment.

"Stupid boy," Selena muttered. "Armor of Fervor, dao Nin!"

As she transformed she felt the other ronin follow suit. She quickly withdrew her weapon and attacked Saber-Stryke from behind. It wasn't the most honorable way to fight, but it caused the demon to turn his attention away from Ryo, which was her goal. Saber-Stryke spun around and blocked her attack. He slid one of his swords against her odachi, twisting it while he thrust at her midsection with the other. Only a blast from Cye saved her.

The torrent slammed into the demon and he was thrown off-balance. He stumbled but regained his footing in time to redirect his focus to Sage, who was approaching the demon. He pivoted and suddenly moved lightning-fast. Not expecting this, Sage missed, which presented Saber-Stryke with an opening. As he passed over Sage, he slammed the ends of the swords against the ronin's back. Sage sputtered and fell onto the ground. He rolled over but made no further attempt to get up.

"No, Sage!" Ryo cried. He glared at Saber-Stryke in hatred. "You'll pay for hurting my friend!"

Without warning, Ryo withdrew his katanas and leaped at the demon.

"No!" Selena cried. In his rush, Ryo had left himself open to attack. She tried to rush to his aide, but she was too far away. Saber-Stryke saw the ronin's mistake and didn't hesitate to go in for the kill. With Ryo's arms high in the air, Saber-Stryke aimed for the young man's undercarriage, his swords ready to finish the boy.

The other ronin saw the fatal move, too and yelled at their leader, but there was nothing they could do.

Then there was a flash of white and White Blaze was there. He roared at Saber-Stryke and jumped toward the demon, his claws outstretched. Saber-Stryke instinctively side-stepped the attacking tiger, but still White Blaze managed to clamp his jaw down on one of the twin swords and ripped it from its master's hands.

In that moment, the black tiger struck. Seeing his master in potential harm, the black tiger barreled into White Blaze. He slashed the white tiger's side; White Blaze only reacted – he pushed with his hind legs against the dark form of his opponent and managed to break free, just barely avoiding a claw to the throat.

White Blaze landed in front of Ryo, and Selena could see that he was badly injured. Blood gushed from the open wounds in his side, and his front right leg appeared to be broken. Despite these injuries, White Blaze still held on to the Soul Sword.

He deposited the sword at Ryo's feet and then collapsed.

"White Blaze! No!" Ryo ignored the fallen sword as he ran to his friend's side. He cradled White Blaze's head and the tiger licked his hand encouragingly.

Saber-Stryke watched the exchange with disinterest. "Such is the price of war," he intoned.

"You bastard!" Selena yelled at the demon.

"What did you do that for?" Cye demanded.

"I came here for a battle against a true warrior." He surveyed the ronin with distaste. "Is there no one here with such a spirit?"

"We are all warriors!" Kento shot back.

Saber-Stryke scoffed. "And yet you do not fight. A true battle is not fought with arms, but with spirit. This is what you must acquire if you are to have these blades."

"Then let's fight."

Selena turned to see Ryo standing over an alarmingly unmoving White Blaze. He gripped the other Soul Sword in his hand and his eyes blazed with barely contained anger. He was pissed.

They could hear the grin in the demon's voice. "So you are finally ready to fight like a true warrior. Let's see how you handle the sword, boy!"

Saber-Stryke leaped at Ryo, who charged the demon in return. The two met with a great crash as the two swords were pitted against each other. Saber-Stryke slashed at Ryo, who blocked the attack and pushed back, his sword coming dangerously close to the demon's mask. Saber-Stryke stepped back and used the space to lunge at the ronin. Unable to back up in time, Ryo cried out as the tip of the sword cut his armor's cuirass.

In response to Wildfire's distress, the other four armors instantly flared.

"What's going on?" Kento asked, but the answer soon presented itself. As they had in the fight with Saranbo, colored beams of light shot from the ronins' armors and into Ryo's. There was a brilliant burst of light and when it cleared, Ryo stood wearing the Inferno Armor.

The blade in his hand pulsed; Ryo felt its willingness to fight as its strength coursed through him. He gripped the sword tighter and raised the blade, going after the demon with renewed energy. He struck Saber-Stryke once, twice, three times in quick succession.

A forceful slam from Saber-Stryke caused Ryo to stumble, but it was enough for the demon to change tactics. He held his sword above him and it began to glow. Recognizing what he was doing, Ryo mirrored his movements. The two swords blazed and Ryo screamed his attack.

"RAGE OF INFERNO!"

Saber-Stryke's echoing call was lost as the sword in Ryo's hand blazed and a giant wave of white light ripped through the area. The ronin huddled protectively over White Blaze, Mia, and Yuli as the energy of the attack washed over them. They felt the swords' incredible power run through their armors in a sudden – and brief – warmth.

Then – inexplicably – both Saber-Stryke and Ryo collapsed to the ground.

"Ryo!" Rowen cried and ran to his friend.

"White … Blaze," the young man gasped, trying to reach the unmoving tiger. Rowen understood and, throwing Ryo's arm over his shoulder, helped his friend walk to where White Blaze lay surrounded by the rest of the group.

Ryo kneeled next to the tiger's head. "White Blaze," he whispered, suddenly incredibly tired. "You okay, buddy?"

The tiger didn't respond.

"White Blaze?" Ryo said, becoming increasingly frantic. "Don't do this, White Blaze, please!"

When the tiger didn't respond, the group realized the horrible truth. White Blaze was –

"NO!" Ryo and Yuli's screams intermingled, and Selena felt her own heart jolt in denial.

_No. It can't be!_

Ryo buried his face against White Blaze's head, tears flowing from his eyes as he sought to deny his companion's death. A single tear fell and landed on the tiger's fur. It gathered and dropped onto the tiger's closed eyelid, making it appear as if White Blaze himself was crying.

In that instant, the tiger began to glow. The ronin stared, startled and amazed; what was going on? Selena looked up and caught a glimpse of the black tiger next to his master's body. He looked at her before he disappeared and became a golden ball that shot into White Blaze.

Selena started – _What?_ – and then Yuli's joyful cry brought her attention back to the group. She gasped; White Blaze was alive!

The tiger yipped and butted Ryo's head. The young man blinked, astonished at the tiger's sudden recovery, and then threw his arms around his neck.

"You're alright! You're alright!"

Selena watched the reunion with a smile, but internally she was troubled. Ryo had the swords he was looking for, but he – and the other ronin – had missed the critical point: it wasn't enough.


	16. Walkabout

Sorry for the unexpected hiatus; life got really crazy in February. But I'm back and on my regular schedule. Thanks for all your comments, and for continuing to read the story!

Also, this chapter switches POV frequently, so I apologize if it gets confusing. But it was necessary, I promise.

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Fifteen**_

"I don't get it," Ryo murmured, distressed. He was sitting in a window-nook, leaning against the wall frame with his arms crossed. The other guys were scattered about the room, engaged in various activities: Rowen was at the table, reading a book; Selena was across from Rowen, immersed in her own reading. Kento sat on the couch with his legs outstretched, arms crossed, and eyes closed. He was snoring faintly. Cye and Sage were huddled together, talking. Their voices rose and fell in soft murmurs. They looked up when Ryo spoke.

Ryo's eyebrows knitted together as he thought. He was troubled. "I have the swords of Fervor, and yet when I wear the White Armor it still drains me. Why is that?"

From the other side of the room, Selena replied, "Because you have not yet accepted the true spirit of the armor."

Ryo glanced at her sharply. "What would you know about it?" He demanded.

"I happen to know a lot!" Selena snapped, her patience with Ryo coming to an abrupt and angry end. She looked up from her books and pushed away from the table, placing her hands on her hips as she turned in her chair to face Ryo. "Or did you forget that I was the Ancient One's student? No one else knew more about the armors than he did, and he passed that knowledge to me!" Knowing that she now had Ryo's attention, Selena returned to her books, turning a page as she continued.

"The Inferno armor is still incomplete," she said, her voice softer but stern. "And it will remain so until you accept its entire spirit."

Ryo's stubbornness overcame his better judgment, and he defiantly challenged Selena's claim. "But the Inferno is made from the energies of the five ronin armors. What else could be missing?"

Selena gave Ryo a look that would have made a lesser man quail under its intensity. "If you think that, then you will never master the armor."

Awake now, Kento watched the exchange with the others, who were listening to the battle of wills between the two wayward ronin.

Ryo glared at Selena, and his voice had a slightly exasperated edge to it. "If you know so much about the Inferno armor, why don't you just tell me what I need?"

Selena bristled in irritation. "You are missing the point. You are Inferno's guardian; you must find the truth yourself." Seeing the distraught look on Ryo's face, Selena softened her voice.

"It isn't as difficult as you're making it," she offered. "In order to know why Inferno isn't working, you must understand its components, the parts that create it."

She returned to her books, doing her best to ignore Ryo as he silently watched her. Then, after several minutes, he leaned back against the wall and returned to his own thoughts. A thrill ran through Selena; he hadn't left! It was small, but it was still a victory.

Selena sensed the ronin return to their own business and she smiled. Perhaps things were finally starting to return to normal.

XX

"I need your help."

Selena looked up from her research, startled to see Ryo standing in the doorway. It was late; the others had long since gone to bed. She'd believed that she was the only one up, but apparently not. Then she saw his haggard appearance and rethought her initial assumption.

Ryo's hair stuck out at all angles, and dark circles under his eyes indicated his recent lack of sleep. The young man was also pale and agitated; the way he clenched his arms and subtly shifted from foot to foot revealed a nervousness that was atypical for the teen. That Ryo had come to speak to her was sign enough of his distress.

Accordingly, Selena was simultaneously curious, alarmed, and alert. She gestured for Ryo to enter and sit down, which he did, and Selena did not fail to notice how – even though he was facing her – he chose a chair with several inches distance between them.

Internally, she sighed. So maybe things weren't returning to normal as quickly as she'd thought.

Ryo surveyed her critically, and wasted no time in getting to the point.

"I do not trust you. There is something that you are not telling me."

His words were gruff but weary; Selena could hear the tiredness in his voice, though he fought to hide it. She in turn couldn't decide whether to smile or frown, as she was both impressed and annoyed with Ryo's declaration; impressed because he was talking to her, and annoyed because he obviously still hadn't gotten over himself. Torn with what to do, Selena decided to match his honesty with some of her own.

"There are lots of things I am not telling you."

Ryo was surprised by her candidness, and it showed on his face.

"Why not?"

Selena shrugged. "You already said it; you don't trust me. You wouldn't believe me." She leaned toward Ryo, placing her elbows on the desk in front of her. "But that's not why you're here, is it?"

Ryo returned her keen gaze with one of his own, reading her as she read him. Finally, after several moments of silence, he spoke.

"What do you know about the Inferno armor?"

Now it was Selena's turn to look surprised. "I've already told you – "

"No," Ryo interrupted. "You've told me what I already know. I need to hear what you know."

"Really? And what makes you think that I'll tell you?"

"Because we need the Armor of Inferno to beat Talpa."

"_We,_" she placed emphasis on the word, "need to defeat Talpa as a team. Which we currently do not have."

Ryo's eyes flashed in anger and he rose partially out of his chair. "Because you lied to us!" he yelled at Selena.

"No," Selena returned with equal fervor. "Because you refuse to lead!"

That struck a nerve. Ryo's jaw clenched and he glared at Selena, but he didn't say anything. Knowing that she had the upper hand – for the moment, at least – Selena continued.

"You are so caught up in your own problems that you don't know what you're doing to Rowen and the others. Your refusal to think straight almost cost White Blaze his life!" She hated to bring that up; she knew how fresh that pain was – and she was right; Ryo stiffened and his eyes flickered to the floor – but it had to be done. "We were lucky to win that battle and we'll be lucky to win another if you continue like this."

"You have no right – "

"I have every right! Fine, you're pissed off with me for not telling you I was a ronin. I don't care. You can ignore me and pout all you want; it isn't going to change what happened and I'm not going away. But this team needs a leader and right now it's floundering without one. That person is you, Ryo. It's not always easy and sometimes you have to do things you'd rather not, but that's what leaders do. So you have a problem with me. Deal with it and move on."

Selena sat back in her chair, finished, and waited. Ryo was silent and various emotions flickered across his face as he digested her words.

She hadn't meant to start an argument, but Ryo needed to understand how the tension between them was affecting the group, and in turn their mission to destroy the dynasty. Plus, his arrogance in assuming that she'd just tell him what he wanted to know – especially with the way he'd been treating her – really ticked her off.

But what was said was said; she could only move forward from here. Finally, Ryo spoke.

"I didn't know that the guys … and what happened to White Blaze …" Ryo paused, breathed in and then out to calm himself as emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He looked at Selena, and she saw remorse and acceptance in his gaze. "You had your reasons, and you did what you thought was best. I'm sorry."

Selena relaxed in the chair, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders as the tension in the room subsided. She spoke softly.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you, but I am glad that you came. Now," she began, returning the conversation to its original subject, "you were right in that we need a powerful armor to defeat Talpa, but it isn't Inferno."

Ryo stared at her in disbelief, his relief at the subject change abruptly disappearing with this revelation. "There's another armor?"

Selena quickly clarified to eliminate Ryo's confusion.

"Yes and no. Think of Inferno as a stepping-stone. Its true form is almost complete, but it will not appear until you and the other ronin learn to control your powers."

"We're already strong," Ryo shot back defiantly; Selena's words still stung.

"But not strong enough to control when the Inferno armor appears." Selena leveled her gaze at the boy. "This is what you and the other ronin must focus on. Only when you understand the spirits of your armors will Inferno stabilize."

Something she said must have hit home, because Ryo's gaze suddenly became distant and he murmured, "Cut the flame …"

Selena strained to hear him. "What?"

Ryo glanced at her, startled out of his reverie. He shook his head. "Nothing." He stood up and walked to the door. As his fingers touched the knob, he hesitated and turned back toward Selena, who was watching him curiously.

"Selena, I … thank you." At her nod he quickly turned and left. Selena smiled, hoping that Ryo's acquiescence was a sign that things were finally changing for the better. Lord knew they needed it.

She yawned – all that adrenaline had made her tired – and glanced at the clock. It was very late. As it was, she'd be lucky to get a few hours sleep. So she stood up and, leaving her things where they were, headed for bed.

XX

He came to her in her dreams.

"Selena."

His voice was gentle, soothing, but also commanding. Even in her sleep, she responded to his call.

"Master."

In her subconscious, he materialized before her, appearing as he had in life. "Gakuto." The greeting was familiar, affectionate, but spoken with grave undertones. "Talpa's forces are rising. He will soon move against you." The Ancient's voice became insistent. "You must find the way to defeat him."

Selena's brow furrowed even though she slept. "But how?"

Her master's response was quick. "Follow the way of laozi."

"Laozi?"

"Follow the way of laozi, Selena. You must hurry; he is coming."

XX

Selena woke with the warning echoing in her mind. She surveyed her room wildly, half expecting to see Talpa or one of his warlords standing at the edge of her bed. Seeing nothing but Mia's already made bed, Selena tried to calm herself but failed.

_Something's not right_, she thought. And it wasn't just the lingering anxiety from her dream. She got dressed in record time and practically ran down the stairs, her worry increasing. The last time she'd felt this way, Anubis had tried to capture her and take her to the dynasty.

The memory of that panicked flight from the shrine only increased her fears. She had to find the ronin, _now._

XX

"What do you mean, 'they're gone'?"

Yuli shrank at the woman's outburst; he'd never seen Selena like this. "Th-they left early this morning. Cye said something about 'finding their deep and centered selves.'"

Okay. That wasn't so bad. The ronin were trying to solve the problem with Inferno; it needed to be done. But she still couldn't shake that feeling …

"Selena, what's a 'solo trip'?"

Selena looked at Yuli, incredulous. "They didn't go together?"

Yuli shook his head and Selena swore. Stupid, arrogant teenagers! Hadn't they learned by now that they were strongest when together? Splitting up was the worst thing they could do, especially since they weren't in full control of their powers. Oh, and the dynasty was planning to attack at any moment.

Selena swore again. This was not good.

XX

Ryo walked the winding road into town alone; he and the other ronin had parted ways some time ago, each on their own journey to understand the power of their armors.

Selena was not going to be happy when she discovered their absence, but it had to be done. They needed the Inferno armor – or whatever it would become – and so they had to find this new power; the dynasty would not sleep forever.

Around a bend in the road, Ryo caught sight of Mount Fuji, its hulking form looming over the city. He quickened his pace, and for the second time in a week headed toward the volcano.

Once again, it seemed, he'd find his destiny within its fire.

XX

Sage walked carefully through the dark cave. He was wearing his armor, as he needed the light from his sword to see through the murky darkness that surrounded him. He'd been walking for a while; finding his way back to the center of the cave wasn't as easy as exiting it had been, all those months ago.

He was also slowed due to his caution. Firmly believing that the dynasty would show itself, Sage listened intently at every rock fall or scattered echoes, searching for signs of the enemy.

So far nothing had happened, and he was beginning to think that perhaps he'd been wrong in assuming that the dynasty would choose this day to come out of hiding. Sage relaxed.

That was a mistake. Waiting for the ronin to make such a move, a dark figure emerged from behind the boy. Sensing his presence, Sage started to turn, but it was too late. The figure grabbed him and threw the ronin against a rocky wall.

Sage slammed into the hard rock and clattered to the cave floor. His head ringing from the impact, he just managed to get to his feet. Powering his sword, Sage looked for his attacker. He found him easily though the man was cloaked in shadows.

Sage's eyes widened in shock, then quickly narrowed in disgust. He didn't try to hide his disappointment. "You survived."

Cale sneered and walked toward the ronin. "And you, Halo, won't see the end of this day."

Without further ado, the warlord viciously punched Sage. His claws swiped the boy's face and knocked the sword out of Sage's grip. The sword of Halo clattered to the ground, and its light went out, leaving the two combatants in total darkness. Which was exactly what Cale wanted.

XX

Kento stared at the sacred rock that had held him prisoner, marveling that it did not bear the marks of his escape. He well remembered that battle. The warlord Cale had sought to destroy him, but the stone had awakened him and he'd blasted Cale back to the dynasty with barely more than a flick of the wrist.

Kento grinned. That had been a good day.

Yes, Sage had tried to rescue him, but it was the stone that protected him. Inside the rock, everything had been so calm, so soothing. It was like being home after a long vacation.

Kento placed his hand against the smooth surface of the stone, seeking that same feeling once more. He closed his eyes, remembering. Beneath his fingertips, the rock pulsed and barely a second later his armor responded with a beat of its own.

Kento jumped back and stared at the rock in shock. _What was that?_

From behind him, a voice laughed.

"Playing with boulders, are we, Hardrock?"

Kento spun around, his eyes going wide and then gathering in a frown as he caught sight of the figure standing not 20 feet away from him.

"Dais," the young man spat. "Why are you here?"

As a response, Dais only grinned. In a flash he pulled his six kamas free and slammed them into the ground. Before Kento was able to transform, Dais pulled and the ground erupted at the ronin's feet. The loose earth toppled the surprised ronin, but he was not the only thing to fall; the sacred stone slid from its ancient resting place and rolled downhill toward the struggling young man.

Kento felt rather than saw the stone's approach, its massive size creating tremors as it plunged. He tried frantically to get out of the way, but the ground was too soft for him to get a foothold, and in an instant the stone was upon him.

Kento cried out as the stone struck him, pinning him to the ground as it came to rest at the bottom of the hill. He struggled to free himself, but could not. As the dust settled, a shadow covered him. Kento blinked back dust and tears, growling at Dais's mocking gaze.

The warlord shook his head. "You never were very perceptive." Dais towered over the trapped ronin and smiled cruelly. "I've come for _you_."

XX

Kento wasn't the only one having problems. Cye stood on the lakeshore and narrowed his eyes in disgust at the unwelcome visitor standing on the other bank.

"Sekhmet," he greeted scornfully. "I was wondering where you'd slithered off to."

The warlord favored Cye with a thin smile. "You've grown bold, ronin. I was wondering when you'd grow up."

Cye frowned at the barb, but refused to let the warlord get under his skin. Obviously finished with his pleasantries, Sekhmet jumped and in one leap landed on the other shore, only a few feet from Cye. His dark eyes gleamed wickedly in the sunlight, and in one smooth move had a sword in his hand. He lunged at the young man and Cye stumbled back, the tip of the warlord's sword slicing through his shirt.

Cye quickly retreated, putting distance between himself and the advancing warlord. Sekhmet laughed, but Cye didn't care; he quickly transformed. Barely had the familiar weight of his armor settled when he executed two swift back flips and landed in the cool waters of the lake. Cye, knowing that his armor was stronger in water, had acted quickly to gain an advantage over the warlord.

However, Sekhmet did not appear inclined to follow his opponent. Instead, the warlord walked to the edge of the water and grinned.

"Really, Torrent, you make this too easy."

Cye furrowed his brow; what was he talking about?

Without further elaboration, Sekhmet pierced the water with two of his swords. They glowed red and the surrounding water turned a sickly green.

Cye gasped; Sekhmet was poisoning the water with his venom! And it was coming straight towards him.

XX

Rowen was happily dynasty-free at his place near the summit of a mountain. He stood on a rocky ledge that overlooked a vast forest. A constant glimmer marked a distant waterway as sunlight reflected off its slow-moving surface; beyond that was the city, which from this distance looked like a tiny model, its skyscrapers and road ways dwarfed by the mountain range.

But Rowen ignored all this and concentrated on the sky. He was in full uniform, with an arrow drawn and bow at the ready as he stared at the heavens, and remembered the Ancient's words.

_**When you are in harmony with the soul of your armor, its true power will come forth.**_

"The soul of my armor," Rowen whispered, "is life. But there's more to it than that …"

He raised his bow and arrow high, let his breath out slowly, and closed his eyes. As he let go of his conscious self, peace descended on him in a great wave. Warmth flooded through him as well as … something else. It was an awareness, both alien and familiar.

Rowen gasped; it was his armor! In a simple way, it spoke to him, communicating with him through their connection. Trusting the armor's judgment, Rowen raised his weapon towards the sky.

He sensed the familiar thrum of energy as the arrow charged, but this time he was connected to it as well; he felt the pulsating beats of the bow and arrow as electric heartbeats in his skin and soul.

In the moment before he fired, both ronin and armor were one.

The arrow released. It flew from the bow with a silent purpose as it sped into the heavens, its golden shaft glistening in the waning sun. The sun swallowed it, and Rowen saw it no more. A second later, the sky lit up; gleaming contrails of golden light streaked against its soft eggshell blue, and what few clouds there were burst into rain.

Rowen laughed as the skies drenched him; the awareness was still with him and he felt almost drunk with this new power, this new understanding of his armor.

His good humor vanished as an arrow whizzed past him, missing him by centimeters. He spun around, instantly alert. When he saw the group of dynasty soldiers, his eyes flashed in anger and he quickly readied his weapon.

Four of the soldiers took aim at the same time he did, and their arrows sped towards each other, their deadly tips hungry for flesh. Rowen didn't wait to see whether his arrows had hit true; he jumped down from the ledge and onto two of the soldiers.

Just before he landed, he caught a glimpse of Mount Fuji and wondered – before other, more immediate matters took his attention – how Ryo was doing.

XX

Ryo gazed at his sword in amazement. He could feel its energy resonating with spirit of the volcano, and inside him. This power was incredible, and yet so simple. Finally, the Ancient's words to him made sense.

"I don't move the flame," Ryo spoke to himself, "I _am_ the flame."

The spirit of the volcano flared, and Ryo felt its power course through his armor. He concentrated, and with a flick of his wrist a column of fire burst from the tip of his sword. Ryo watched it, his eyes wide with wonder as he actually felt the path and intensity of the flames. The power belonged to the armor, but he was controlling its course. With another subtle flick, the flame disappeared, leaving a trail of black smoke in its wake.

"The flame is the spirit of Wildfire. I understand that now." He returned the sword to its sheath and turned, gazing across the top of the volcano.

_But what about the Inferno? _He thought, his brow furrowing in consternation. _How can I find the spirits all five armors?_

Ryo's thoughts returned to Selena. _What else is she not telling me?_

XX

Back at the lodge, Selena paced in irritation, her research lying forgotten on the table behind her. She couldn't concentrate; she was too concerned for the ronin to investigate the meaning behind her dream. Mia stood at the doorway, watching her friend with concerned eyes.

"You can't help them," she said in an attempt to get Selena to stop pacing. "Not now, anyway."

That got Selena's attention. She spun around and faced Mia. "I know. But that doesn't make me any less frustrated."

"Or worried," Mia supplied.

"Or worried," Selena agreed. Her brief calm shattered. "But I told Ryo – didn't he understand?" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Why did he leave? The idiot!"

Mia blinked, having no idea what Selena was ranting about. "They are strong; I'm sure that they'll be fine."

Selena paused, and then gave her friend a pitying look that was made frightening by the gravity it carried. "Mia, I know you don't want to hear this, but there are some things that even the ronin warriors can not stand."

XX

From his place on the volcano's summit, Ryo gasped and clutched his chest as painful spasms overtook his body. His armor pulsed in response and Ryo blinked, tears filling his eyes. He felt his friends' distress, but didn't know what was causing it or why his armor was acknowledging their pain. It had happened before, once or twice, but his armor had never reacted this intensely.

Ryo coughed as he breathed and gagged at the same time. His eyes were wide with fear.

_What is going on?_

XX

Sage scrambled to find his sword, but it was no use; he couldn't see and Cale's constant attacks against his person were draining his energy. A mighty blow to his shoulder forced the ronin to his knees, and he clutched at the throbbing appendage.

Cale's disembodied voice floated eerily through the darkness. "You fight like a child, Halo; crawling and weeping from the monster that pursues you."

Sage heard where the voice was coming from, but knew better than to blindly strike out; the warlord was a master at pitching his voice to make it seem like he was in one place when really he was in another. He'd already fallen to the trick, and wasn't about to do so again.

The voice came again. "What's the matter, ronin? Afraid of the dark?" The warlord's voice deepened. "I happen to like the dark."

A moment later the warlord struck Sage again, this time with his sword. Sage cried out as the warlord's cruel weapon sliced his arm. He swung blindly at the warlord, but his fist met nothing but air.

Cale laughed. "You are helpless without your sight!"

Sage swallowed his rising rage and forced himself to calm down. The warlord was right; he could not see. But he didn't need to see Cale in order to find him.

Sage fell into a meditative stance and cleansed his body of all mental and physical distractions. His other senses blossomed – he heard the quiet dripping of water onto a stalagmite; felt the cool rush of wind from the caves beneath; and detected the muddy, metallic-like scent of rocks.

But there was also something else. As he meditated, a sixth sense began to beat steadily within him. Instantly, Sage focused on this new sensation. Its energy grew, the beating became louder, more intense –

Sage's eyes snapped open. His armor! It was alive, and it was speaking to him. He reached out with this new awareness, testing it. Immediately an echoing pulse responded. Sage smiled as he recognized it as a part of his armor – his sword. It was nearby. Moving steadily, Sage headed straight toward the echo. It was a strange sensation, like seeing without sight. But strange though it was, it worked.

Sage bent, his fingers tingling with energy as they curled around the hilt of his sword. His armor beat stronger now – but so did something else. Sage frowned as he recognized and yet did not recognize this new pulse.

What was it? And why was it coming from Cale?

As if sensing the ronin's sudden confidence, Cale moved to strike. Seeing the warlord's movement despite the dark, Sage grasped his sword, which instantly ignited. He struck the warlord and the cave went white.

The endless light tore at Cale, who could not withstand the assault. Sage, blinded by the light, felt rather than saw the warlord retreat. As soon as he disappeared, the glow retracted. Sage looked around. He'd found his spirit, but the encounter had unsettled him; why had he been able to sense Cale as well as his own armor? And what did it mean?

XX

"Go to hell, Dais!" Kento spat, struggling to free himself from the boulder. Dais only laughed at the ronin's futile efforts.

"What's wrong, Hardrock? Not strong enough to move a tiny boulder?" He shook his head. "What a pity."

He walked around the ronin, studying the trapped boy.

"Your efforts are admirable, but pointless," Dais taunted. He finally stopped in front of Kento and looked down at the boy. "You will join us."

"Never!"

Dais scowled at the vehemence in Kento's voice. "We shall see, ronin."

The warlord's eyes flashed a strange color; Blue? Or was it purple? Kento didn't know, and he found his resistance to the warlord slipping away.

Images, horrible scenes played in his mind, but to the ronin they seemed like reality. He saw himself on a hill littered with the bodies of his opponents. His eyes were red and he fought like one deranged against his current enemies, which Kento was horrified to see, were his friends.

"No!" he cried, but that didn't stop the dream-him from smashing his naginata into the ground, which cracked and hissed at the ronins' feet. Kento watched as this shadow person cut his friends down one by one – and enjoyed it.

"Yes," Dais' voice rang through his head. "This is the true power of your armor. It lusts for blood. Don't deny it, Hardrock, you know it to be true."

No! Kento tried not to listen to the warlord, but found to his dismay that he was very hard to resist. He wasn't evil! His armor wasn't evil; the Ancient had said so!

As a self-defense mechanism, Kento retreated into himself; doing his best to ignore the horrific images that still swept through his mind.

No! He was good, and his armor … his armor …

Kento grasped onto that like the lifeline it was.

_I know my armor is good! I know it! I trust my armor!_

From deep within – Kento didn't know if it was from him or his armor – an awareness, a warmth blossomed. It grew and enveloped him. Kento gasped. It was his armor, and it was giving him strength.

"NO!" Kento roared. His cry of defiance was so unexpected that Dais stepped back. It was all Kento needed.

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"

Even without his weapon the soil and rock around him erupted, lifting in to the air so that it blocked out the sun. Distantly he heard Dais yell as his hold over the ronin was broken, but Kento didn't care; dirt and debris rained from the sky in response to Hardrock's anger.

Mustering his strength, Kento pushed against the boulder still on top of him and found, to his surprise, the giant rock listening to his command. Its energy pulsed and traveled down his hand and arm until it reached something inside of him, something that responded in kind – and he was able to simply move the boulder as easily as if it was a pillow.

Kento stood up and stared at his hands and body, which miraculously did not hurt.

_What?_ He thought, and as he glanced up at the still continuing onslaught of the earth, realization hit him.

Earth was his armor's spirit, and the earth was at its command. Overwhelmed and panicked, Kento clamped down on his newly risen power. Rocks and soil instantly dropped back to the ground; only a great dust could remained.

Kento walked cautiously over to where Dais lay beneath a pile of stones.

"I am a ronin warrior," he told the warlord, who just glared back at him. "It is your dynasty that will fall, not us."

Dais scowled. "We shall see, ronin." He spoke the last word with disdain, and then, before Kento could do any more, disappeared in a purple sphere.

XX

Cye screamed as the venom-saturated water soaked into his armor. He gasped and his vision blurred. Inwardly he cursed himself; how could he be so stupid? He'd walked – literally – right into the warlord's trap.

Another scream was ripped from his throat as the venom began to travel up his legs. To his horror, Cye realized that the venom was slowly paralyzing him. If he didn't get out of the water, he would drown! But if he left the lake, then his armor would be vulnerable.

Damn, damn, damn!

From his place on the shoreline, Sekhmet laughed; he sounded almost happy.

"Foolish ronin, too late do you understand my venom's power." He laughed again. "I shall enjoy watching you die."

Cye summoned enough strength to bit back, "Not … today … Sekh … met!"

The warlord mocked him with a frown. "You can barely speak, let alone fight."

Cye wanted to reply with a pithy retort, but he couldn't; his constricting throat muscles made it hard enough to breathe. What was he going to do? No matter if he stayed in the water or somehow managed to get to shore, he was going to die.

His head was full of such despairing thoughts when a voice spoke to him.

_Torrent, your armor's powers come from the forces of water._

Cye blinked, confused; was he delirious now, too? The voice spoke again.

_Look for the peace in this battle, and ignore the turmoil and strength of your foe._

Cye fought to keep his head above the waterline. _I know that my armor is stronger when in water_, he thought, _but how am I supposed to find peace when I'm practically drowning? Unless I'm supposed to just let go …_

Cye was so startled by his realization that he accidentally inhaled some water. He coughed furiously, aware as he did so that as he ignored the venom's strength, it dulled its effect on him.

_That's it!_

Preparing himself, Cye allowed his mind to drift until he had no thoughts of Sekhmet, this battle, the poison, or the need to find his spirit. He simply was.

As his body relaxed, he stopped forcing himself to stay above the water, and he slowly sank into the lake. Instead of fighting the water, Cye allowed it to wash over him. In a few minutes, he had disappeared completely from view.

Sekhmet stared at where the ronin had disappeared beneath the lake waters. He was completely surprised. He'd expected the boy to make some kind of attempt to fight, but he'd just sunk like a rock in a pond.

For a moment Sekhmet didn't know what to do. Then he smiled. So what if killing the boy had been easy? Talpa would be pleased; at last they had a ronin armor!

He made to leave, and the lake exploded.

Sekhmet turned back and his eyes went wide at the sight before him.

Cye actually stood on top of a wave, his trident held in front of him and aimed at the shocked warlord. Sekhmet couldn't hear what the ronin said – the roar of the water was too great – but instead was witness to the terrible waterspout that formed on the tip of the legendary weapon. Sekhmet had only a second's glimpse of Cye's angry glare before the flood was upon him. The swirling water slammed into the warlord with such force that the man was hurled into its depths, where he was instantly carried away, nearly drowned in a dirty torrent's rage.

Cye stood on the shore, the lake's remaining water gently lapping at his feet as droplets fell from his armor and onto the wet ground. He stared in the direction where the warlord had been taken, but did not truly see the churning landscape. His emotions surged with the water around him, and with the new power within him.

He'd always known that water powered his armor, but not until this moment did he realize the depth of that connection. The Ancient was right; the Armor of Torrent could control water – but only as long as he was in tune with its virtue. Because if he was not, Torrent would become as corrupt and evil as Sekhmet's.

Cye's gaze narrowed. He would never let that happen.

He shook himself and sighed. He had to find the others.

XX

Rowen slammed the back of his bow into a soldier's chest, and then stabbed him with an arrow. Before the soldier even collapsed, Rowen was moving. He spun, which caught the soldier sneaking up behind him off guard, and, with the sharp string of his bow, sliced through the demon's neck. The demon's wide eyes stared back at Rowen, and then its head fell to the ground. The body wasn't far behind.

Rowen stepped away from the fallen soldiers, surveyed the remains of their several fellows, and frowned. He'd dispatched them easily enough; partly from his new understanding of his armor and partly because the soldiers hadn't been trying very hard to defeat him. It had been too easy; the battle felt almost planned.

Rowen replaced his bow on his back, not liking where this train of thought was going. If he had been attacked, then the others most likely had encounters with the dynasty, too. But why? Was it to test their new powers? If that were so, then how did the dynasty even know that they were seeking a greater understanding of their armors? Hell, they didn't even know about it until this morning!

Something wasn't right about all this.

Rowen started down the mountain, determined to get back to the lodge, his thoughts occupied on the mock battle and what it meant for the ronin.

XX

They found her at the beach. Selena was staring out over the water, lost in her thoughts when she felt the subtle shift that accompanied the crossing between worlds. She remained still, giving no indication that she was aware of their presence, and waited for them to make the first move.

She didn't have to wait long; apparently her visitor was impatient.

The muffled tinkling of metal against robes was the only sound heard before the person spoke.

"So you're the new girl. I must say you're not at all what I expected."

It was a haughty, overconfident sound, which told Selena much about her still-to-be-seen opponent. She turned and found herself staring at a young woman. She wore tight fitting body armor, and a large golden amulet hung low on her neck. Her long, dark blue hair wafted in the gentle wind, belying her strength; Selena did not fail to observe the twin sai daggers at her side, nor the way in which her deep blue eyes flashed, betraying her hatred for her opponent.

Selena blinked; this girl could be no older than the ronin! She noticed that the girl took the time to survey her, too. Selena hid her surprise at the girl's youth and smiled. So she wasn't as sure of herself as she looked. That was good to know.

Selena nodded to the girl, her own eyes narrowing as the woman adopted a mocking smile. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

The woman frowned prettily and waved a scolding finger in Selena's direction. "That's not very ladylike, Miss Sires. Oh yes," she said in answer to Selena's shocked expression, "I know who you are." She giggled; it would have been disarming, had the malevolence in her gaze not betrayed her. "But my, how rude of me; I forgot to introduce myself. I am Kayura, Lady of Darkness and servant of the dynasty."

"Are you?" Selena was mildly interested in this new opponent, but only insofar as to what kind of threat she posed.

"Yes. And you, ronin, will bow before Talpa!"

Selena snorted. "I don't think so, Kayura."

Kayura favored Selena with the smile of a predator about to pounce on juicy prey. "Oh, you don't have to bow willingly." In a flash she flourished her daggers and threw herself at Selena, yelling, "In fact, I hope you don't!"

Selena, who had been expecting an attack of some sort, stepped out of the way, grabbed Kayura's arm as she passed by and threw her over her shoulder and onto the ground. Without wasting time, Selena dropped next to Kayura, intent on placing her in a hold, but the girl was too fast and she rolled away. She quickly got back on her feet, and her eyes blazed with fury.

As Kayura recalculated her plan, Selena used the unexpected lull to transform. Accompanied by a cascade of flashing lights and a massive energy surge, the Armor of Fervor entered the mortal world and settled on the body of its guardian.

Thankfully, Kayura didn't waste time by exchanging insults or pointless posturing; she attacked ruthlessly, barely giving Selena enough time to withdraw her odachi before she was upon her.

In such close range, Selena was at a disadvantage, which she was sure Kayura knew. The dark lady twirled one dagger, and aimed it at her opponent's forearm while the other went for her solar plexus. Selena, forced to use her armor and weapon defensively, was unable to keep up with the woman's rapid and ever-changing thrusts, and so resorted to using cheap tricks.

Selena tripped Kayura, but not before she'd managed to stab her opponent in the side, just above an opening between her tassets. Selena stumbled back, shocked. Her hand automatically went to the wound, and when she withdrew it, her hand was covered in blood.

XX

It wasn't until Ryo felt Selena that he realized what was happening. When her armor flared into this world, his own – and the other four – responded to it. A surge of _something_ had run through him, and he'd had to sit down.

Ryo ignored the stares of passerby and concentrated on what he was feeling.

It was Selena; he knew it just as he knew the other ronin armors. But there was something else …

_Inferno …_

Ryo's eyes widened and his face went white with realization.

"Selena was the key," he murmured, his voice distant.

Of course! It made sense now! She'd told him that he would not master the Inferno Armor until he'd accepted all of its spirit, and that included not just the five ronin armors, but hers as well!

That was why, when they'd fought Saranbo and Saber-Stryke, the Inferno had felt incomplete: because she did not lend her power to it.

_Because I refused to accept her,_ Ryo thought. _Because I didn't see her as a ronin._

Apparently that had changed. Ryo wondered when he'd forgiven her … perhaps it was after their conversation last night. Perhaps it was sometime on his journey to the volcano, or maybe when he'd found his spirit.

It didn't matter. He felt her, now – he felt all of them. The powers of the six ronin armors burned within their guardians and their teammates. Ryo smiled; they had Inferno at last.

The smile was wiped from his face when a piercing pain shot through his heart.

"Ah!" he cried out, startling more than a few pedestrians, including one that approached him in concern when he jumped up, eyes determined.

_Selena!_ She was in trouble, which meant that Mia and Yuli might be, too. Unconsciously, his armor replied to her distress and sent a pulse that signaled assistance to the other armors. Ryo started running.

_Hold on guys, I'm coming!_

XX

Kayura smiled cruelly at her opponent, who, under the weight of her armor, was having a difficult time standing up. The dark lady smirked.

"I told you, you don't have to bow willingly." She smirked as she raised her arms above her to summon the power of the dynasty. Her voice was triumphant. "Too bad you weren't more of a challenge; I was beginning to enjoy myself."

Selena glared at her, but remained silent; this woman wasn't worth a retort.

Kayura brought her arms down and the world around them shimmered with dark power. The woman's eyes were gleeful. "Welcome to the dynasty, ronin."

A blinding light appeared out of nowhere, rising over and piercing through the sphere erected by Kayura. The barrier fell apart and the earth shook from the dual energies as they met.

"What is this?" Kayura screeched, but the power emitted by the light was too much for her and she quickly fled, leaving her almost captive behind.

Selena blinked to clear her eyes, and as soon as she realized that Kayura was gone she dismissed the armor. As its weight disappeared from her, Selena stood gratefully – although the wound in her side still hurt, it was far less worse now than it had been with 100 pounds of armor pushing on it.

She took a step forward and then froze, every muscle in her body going taut as she stared, unbelieving at the object that had saved her.

It was her master's staff.

It stood just outside of where Kayura's sphere had been. Selena couldn't take her eyes off of it as a tidal wave of emotions coursed through her. What did this mean? How was it possible? The Ancient was dead – wasn't he?

The sound of softly approaching footsteps reached her ears, bringing any and all questions to an abrupt halt. Selena turned in the direction of the footsteps and shaded her eyes from the setting sun as she gazed apprehensively on an approaching figure down the beach.

It was hard to tell – the sun had everything in silhouette – but the figure appeared to be wearing the hat and robes of a monk.

Selena's heart leaped in her chest. It couldn't be – could it?

It seemed like eons to Selena, but finally the figure reached her. He stopped by the water's edge and, after a moment's hesitation, removed his hat.

"Hello, spitfire."

Her brain froze.

_Anubis?_

_

* * *

_**Notes:**

Wow, this was a long one. I am truly sorry about the unexpected hiatus. February was a very long month for me: I visited family, family came to visit me, for two weeks I thought I would be moving to Wyoming (I'm not), not to mention a bout of writer's block, story planning, and general life-oriented insanity. Thanks for sticking with me! May this never happen again!

'Laozi' means 'old one' or 'teacher.' It is also the name of an ancient Chinese philosopher, who became the founder of Taoism. I will expand on this in the next chapter.

Interesting thing: I looked up associations with the element Air, and it is commonly believed to be a symbol of life and the heavens. In Chinese, the concept of chi was associated quite closely with Air, probably because of its translation as "life force," "air," or "breath." In old Chinese, the word for weather was literally, "sky breath." I thought that was pretty cool, considering that in the American version, Rowen's element is Air and his virtue is Life. Awesome correlation, there.

Also, the ronin understand the true meaning of their virtues when they realize the powers of the elements at their centers: Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and Light. Through their armors, they can control these elements (to a degree) because they understand what they fundamentally are – kinda like how elementals can control specific forces of nature. But don't worry, the ronin aren't going to get all supernatural (well, no more than they already are); they've just reached a higher level of understanding their armors.


	17. The Search Begins

Thanks for all the lovely reviews! You guys made me feel all warm inside!

This chapter has quite a few serendipitous coincidences with the real world, so be sure to read my notes at the end. Seriously, I was surprised at how many there were, and I'm writing the story!

* * *

_**Sixteen**_

"This might sting a little," Mia warned. Selena nodded and, despite herself, sucked in her breath from the cold sting of the antiseptic-drenched cloth pressed against her torn flesh. Mia immediately pulled the cloth away and hesitated, but Selena stopped her.

"No, it's okay. Go ahead," Selena told her, this time only grimacing slightly as the wet cloth was pressed against her wound. Thankfully, the wound wasn't bad – it wasn't good, either, but it could have been worse. A lot worse, actually, if Anubis hadn't saved her.

Anubis. Selena restrained herself from glancing at the man, but just barely. He stood behind her, watching as Mia cleaned her wound.

Selena focused on his oddly comforting presence and frowned. Something about him was different, and it wasn't just his clothes. He'd helped her from the beach to the house, had found Mia to administer first aid – she'd never forget the look of complete shock on Mia's face when Anubis walked through the front door – and was quietly standing by, offering what help he could.

Mia was doing well enough with Anubis's presence now, Selena noted absently, although she was doing her best to ignore him. White Blaze stood in a corner; occasionally a low growl rumbled in his throat, but for the most part he just stared at Anubis, never blinking as he kept a watchful eye on the man. Yuli was hiding behind the doorframe; he'd occasionally peep in, only to jerk his head back whenever Anubis's gaze happened in his direction.

Selena smiled at the boy's wariness, though it was understandable. As far as he knew, Anubis was still the formidable Warlord of Cruelty. In fact, that was true for all of them. And yet …

_What happened to you?_ She wondered, turning enough to catch the blue of his koromo in the corner of her eye.

He must have sensed her gaze on him because he shifted and looked at her. Their eyes locked, and Selena tensed under his lightly questioning gaze; she hadn't meant to stare.

"Selena!"

She turned back in her chair, surprised to see Ryo standing in the doorway. He was breathing hard, and looked … well, worried was the word that came to her mind. Selena blinked, alarm creeping into her veins. Was something wrong with the ronin? Were they in trouble?

"Ryo – "

"You're alright!" he interrupted. Relief washed over his face. "I thought – "

He froze when he caught sight of Anubis. The former warlord took advantage of Ryo's momentary silence, and spoke.

"Ryo of the Wildfire, it's been a long time."

Selena heard the smile in his voice. It was kindly meant but apparently the teenager thought Anubis was mocking him because Ryo's expression quickly changed from one of surprise to anger. Pointing an accusing finger at the man, Ryo demanded, "What are you doing here?"

"I have come to help you."

Ryo didn't say anything; his fierce and untrusting gaze was enough. His warily looked Anubis over, his eyes wondering to the staff clenched in his hands.

"That's the Staff of the Ancient." It wasn't a question.

Anubis glanced briefly at the staff in his grip and back at Ryo. "Yes."

"Why do you have it?" Ryo demanded. "The Ancient One was killed; we saw him die."

Selena flinched as Ryo spoke, the image of her master's sacrifice fleeting through her memory: Talpa's dark, triumphant laughter as his power consumed Kaos, and the flickering light of the staff as her master faded from sight.

She shuddered, calming herself as she glanced at the same staff that was not two feet away from her now. The moment was bittersweet. She was glad that the Ancient's power had not been lost, and yet was disappointed that it was not he who held the staff now.

"The Ancient One is dead, but his powers live on." Anubis looked at the staff again, and there was something in his eyes that betrayed a weakness, a longing for mastery of a power not yet fully understood. "I am still learning the ways of the Ancient, although my heart is ready."

Selena jerked her head in Anubis's direction, her attention focused solely on him. Did he just say that he was – ?

"You're the Ancient's disciple?" Her wide eyes revealed her incredulity, which thankfully Anubis did not take as offense as his attention turned to her.

"Yes," he said. "I am."

From across the room, Ryo snorted. "I don't believe him."

"I do."

Now it was Ryo's turn to look incredulous. "Selena, how can you possibly trust him? He's nearly killed you dozens of times!"

Selena dismissed Ryo's claims with a shake of her head. "He saved me today. And he holds the Ancient's staff. That's enough for me." She glared at Ryo. "And it should be enough for you." Her voice brokered no argument, and Ryo simply stared at her, too confused to even begin to speak.

He looked at Anubis, and when the man offered no further explanation, Ryo started back in on Selena.

"He saved you? But I felt your distress, and when I get back here I find _him_ – " here Ryo glared at Anubis, " and you, wounded. What am I supposed to think?"

Despite her irritation with the boy, Selena felt a trill of elation run through her at his words. He'd felt her armor, which meant that he finally considered her part of the team. Of course, he picked a lousy time to announce it.

Selena sighed. Go figure.

"Ryo, think clearly. If Anubis attacked me, would he be in the lodge right now, talking to you?"

A soft hand on her shoulder stopped her from saying more. She looked up and Anubis subtly shook his head.

"It is alright," he said. "I don't blame him for not believing me." Anubis removed his hand and returned his gaze to Ryo. "I know that it is hard to believe that any good can come from the dynasty, but I now follow the will of the Ancient One. I have come to help you in any way I can. The dynasty has grown stronger, and this battle will not be as easy as the last."

"Why don't we wait until the others get back before we go any further?" This came from Mia, who finally ventured to speak. She looked nervous, as if unsure of the kind of reception her suggestion would receive.

Selena took pity on the poor women, who'd had to deal with more than her fair share of arguments among her friends in the last several weeks, and nodded in agreement.

"I think that's a good idea, Mia."

Anubis nodded his assent as well, and the three looked at the teen. After a moment's debate, Ryo spoke.

"Okay," he said. "But don't expect any warm welcomes."

XX

While she waited for the ronin to return, Selena escaped to the outdoors. She sank into a lounge chair on the back porch, grateful to be away from the tension that haunted the lodge.

The day was warm and sunny. A light breeze occasionally made its way to Selena and brushed across her skin and hair, but for the most part it was noticeable only in the gentle sway of the leaves in the nearby forest.

Selena sighed, a small smile on her face. This was exactly what she needed. She shifted so that she was stretched out over the chair, and mindful not to stress the wound in her side, got comfortable and opened the book she'd brought with her.

It was time to decipher her master's riddle.

XX

He found her outside, hunched in a lounge chair while furiously scribbling notes over a tattered-looking book.

"You should be resting."

His voice startled Selena out of her thoughts. She looked up, her gaze landing on Anubis, who stood a few feet away from her on the porch. He looked nervous, as if unsure about interrupting her, and so she smiled to soothe his fears.

"I am," she assured him. Selena placed her notes inside the book and sat up, facing her visitor. "I didn't get the chance to say it before, but thank you for saving me."

Anubis nodded. "I could not let that woman take you; the dynasty must not have the armors."

"Is that why you've come back?" Selena asked. "To fight the dynasty?"

"Partly." Anubis moved to the edge of the porch and stared out at the woods, remembering a not-so-distant past as he spoke. "You once said that I was a ronin, if I chose that path. I am no longer a warlord, that much is true - "

"Yes," Selena interrupted quietly. "I've known that for some time."

Anubis looked at her, his gaze softening at her admission. "Thank you," he said. "But neither am I truly ronin." He paused, searching for the right words. "The will of the Ancient is difficult to understand."

Selena nodded, thinking of the Ancient's hidden message. She understood that; boy, did she ever.

Anubis made no indication that he'd noticed her agreement, and turned toward her fully.

"But I wish to fight with the ronin, if I may."

Selena immediately answered. "Of course! You are the Ancient's disciple." Here she swept her eyes over his robes, which were proof of his words. "I trust you."

The relief on his face was evident. "Thank you," Anubis said. "I am glad to have your trust."

Selena nodded, hearing his unspoken reference to the ronin. She understood his anxiety. She'd felt the same when she was at odds with the ronin, and knew how very unpleasant being alone could be.

"Ryo's emotions run very deep and he is very protective of the ones he cares for. He'll eventually come around; they all will."

"Trust is a delicate thing, Selena. And I haven't given them much of a reason to have faith in me."

"No," she agreed, "you haven't. But that can change."

They stood in companionable silence for a while, each focused on their own thoughts. For her part, Selena watched Anubis, for the moment not caring if he knew that she was staring.

He was so different, and yet not. He was still confident as ever, but he'd dropped the arrogance, which made him seem stronger, somehow. And there was a sense of calm about him, a self-assurance that radiated peace. Her master had displayed a similar trait, although his came from years of careful meditation. Anubis had been gone a month, which told Selena that the person before her wasn't the result of meditation, but some deeper quality.

And although he tried to hide it, she could sense his power. She knew instinctively that not all of it came from the staff that he held. But he'd always been powerful; it was his control that was different. Anubis seemed more aware of his abilities and limitations, and less inclined to display them, which resulted in the quiet and composed individual before her.

Selena had seen glimpses of this man before: when he'd refused to kill Ryo during their attempt to reclaim Rowen; during their conversation on the bridge; and while in battle against Talpa.

But it still didn't explain his sudden change. Selena shifted in her chair. Her tongue burned with questions, but she refrained from asking them out of respect for his privacy. She didn't know what he'd gone through, but it couldn't have been easy. Her own introduction to the Ancient's world had been particularly rough, and she'd had five years to accept her duty; Anubis had had a month.

"It is alright." She noticed that even though he spoke, his gaze was still focused on some unseen point in the woods. "You may ask."

Selena wondered how he'd known, but asked the question that had been spinning in her mind from the moment he showed up on the beach.

"What happened?"

Anubis didn't need to ask what she meant; he knew.

Selena watched as his entire body tensed, briefly returning to the present as he sought an answer. Selena waited; she knew he would begin when he was ready.

The wind blew, rustling his robes and pricking her skin; birds chirped and hooted; and still the silence stretched.

When he spoke, it was with a quiet strength that Selena found herself admiring. She didn't think she could retell her memories of the Ancient with such composure.

"When Talpa absorbed me, I felt nothing. I was lulled into a dream state as my armor began to harmonize with the others. It felt so wonderful, like … like home. And I was happy. But I also knew it was a trap. Even as Talpa fought with you, he sought to corrupt my mind. He tempted me with visions, and I tried to resist, but it was so very hard. I almost gave up, but then I felt you."

Selena's eyes went wide with surprise. "What?"

Glancing at her, Anubis nodded. "When you struck Talpa, you released the ronin and weakened the demon. I could not follow, although I tried; Talpa would not let me go." Anubis curled his lips into an ironic half-smile. "Even though I'd defied him, he still held my soul. I started to lose myself. I felt myself slipping into the demon's grasp, and then light surrounded me and I heard a voice. It was the Ancient."

Selena made a sound that could have been a gasp or a sob. Anubis paused, but Selena had managed to gain control of herself and he continued.

"I don't know much of what happened next; I believed I passed out. When I came to, I was … elsewhere." He shook his head. "I don't know what it was: a void, a meditative state, perhaps even another world. But the Ancient was there. He said that he'd broken the bonds that held me to Talpa, and that his staff had chosen me as his successor. I accepted the burden of the Ancient, and I submitted myself to his teachings."

Anubis's eyes grew distant in remembrance. "I was there for a long time. Then one day I was able to sense the dynasty. I was shocked that it had survived the battle, and that Talpa was alive and growing stronger. I had to warn the ronin, and so I left that strange place. It was on that journey that I sensed that you were in danger, and I hurried to help you." Anubis turned toward Selena, and he was shocked to see remorse in her gaze; what did she have to apologize for?

Her reaction to his story was intriguing, and he could not account for it. She spoke before he could question her.

"I am sorry for the burden that you must bear. It is not an easy path."

His eyes narrowed. Her words were empathetic; she spoke as if she knew exactly what his obligations were – and the danger they entailed.

Their conversation was interrupted by sudden footsteps on the porch. The pair turned and saw Mia, who was tense with worry.

"There you are," she said, and Selena wasn't sure if she was addressing one or both of them. "The guys are back. There was an attack, and they've heard about Anubis and your battle with that woman." Her face was anxious."They want to know what's going on."

Selena's mind was whirling as she rose from her seat. She faced her friend.

"And they think that we have the answers?"

"They want to know what happened."

Selena narrowed her eyes. "So do I."

XX

She could tell the ronin were troubled the moment she stepped into the room. They sat hunched over, several feet apart, and did not speak, although she noticed their gazes flick from the bandage on her side to Anubis. Their gazes darkened when he entered the room, and the tension spiked.

Selena noticed that Yuli was in the room, and wondered if this was the best place for the boy to be. It wouldn't do for the boy to see his friends come to blows – because that was exactly what she feared would happen if their anxiety didn't soon drop.

Yuli sat next to White Blaze and was stroking the tiger's fur – whether in an effort to comfort the cat or himself, Selena didn't know. As soon as she sat down, Rowen spoke. He addressed Anubis.

"Ryo tells us that you possess the Ancient's powers, and that you're here to help us."

Anubis nodded, surprised at the ronin's bluntness. "I am."

"Why should we believe you?" demanded Sage. "We were each attacked by your warlord friends today."

Selena gasped. "What?"

Ryo looked at her. "It's true. The dynasty attacked them while they were gone. I felt it."

"They attacked each of you?" When the ronin nodded, Selena's gaze hardened. "It was an ambush."

"It sure as hell was!" Kento's hands curled into fists. "But I want to know how they found us. Did someone tell them?" He looked at Anubis, the accusation clear.

"That would be impossible," Anubis calmly responded, "as I did not know where any of you were."

"And yet you found Selena easily enough."

Anubis glanced at Ryo, who'd spoken, and met his glare head on. "I felt her distress, as you did. She needed immediate assistance, and so I came."

"He saved me," Selena clarified. "Kayura stabbed me, and I couldn't fight. She was about to take me to Talpa when Anubis showed up."

The ronin stared at Selena, stunned. Anubis had saved a ronin warrior? The very thought was absurd.

Anubis saw the path their thoughts were taking, and he spoke. "I no longer serve the dynasty." He shifted his weight, and the rings on the Ancient's staff jingled quietly, bringing the ronins' attention that way. "I follow the path of the Ancient, now."

"Do you?" This came from Sage, who persisted in questioning Anubis's motivations for coming to them.

"How else do you explain the staff?" Selena challenged, her eyes blazing. "The Ancient would not entrust it to someone who was not worthy, to someone he did not trust."

"That may be true," Rowen stated cautiously, "but it doesn't explain why the Ancient chose Anubis."

Anubis turned to the ronin. "I do not know why the Ancient selected me to carry out his will. But I can tell you that he saved me from Talpa, and gave me his powers to aid you in your fight against the dynasty." He looked at each of the ronin. "This fight will not be easy; the dynasty has grown stronger since your last battle with Talpa."

Kento snorted and rubbed at a bruise on his arm from his encounter with Dais. "Yeah, we've noticed that."

Cye, brow furrowed in thought, ignored his friend's derision. "But why is the dynasty stronger? We beat them last time, and yet they nearly defeated all of us today."

Anubis hesitated and exchange glances with Selena. She understood his meaning and picked up the conversation.

"It's the armors. Because they come from the same spirit, when one of you gets stronger, so do the warlords." She paused, suddenly hesitant to go on. But it was necessary; the ronin had to know. Anubis continued before she had the chance to speak.

"The armors come from the same whole. They were once a single armor of enormous power – Talpa's armor."

The ronin weren't shocked so much as they were horrified. For many of them, the reaction was physical: Sage took a step back, as if to deny the truth; Kento looked like he'd been slapped; and Rowen had to grab the edge of the couch to hold himself upright. Cye went white, and Ryo looked like he might be sick.

After a short but strained silence, Cye was the first to speak. "So our armors belong to Talpa?"

Anubis continued with his narrative and Selena listened, amazed at what he knew.

"They were once his, a thousand years ago. But he lost them in a battle with the Ancient, who stripped him of his armor and sealed the demon in the Netherrealm. Knowing that Talpa would try to come back, the Ancient split the armor into ten pieces. These are the armors that you and the warlords now wear."

The ronin looked to Selena for confirmation of Anubis's story. She nodded, and the mood in the room changed from one of disbelief to resigned acceptance.

Sage was quiet as he thought back to his recent battle with Cale.

_Our armors are from the same spirit. That's why I could sense him in the cave._ He frowned. _But why is it that I can sense him now, and not before?_

Kento's worried voice interrupted his ruminations, but also verbalized his other, darker thought.

"If our armors are his, can we even defeat Talpa?"

The hopelessness he displayed cracked Selena's heart. She could well imagine the thoughts going through their minds: confusion at this revelation, wondering why they were never told the truth of the armors, and – worst of all – questioning the worth of fighting Talpa at all.

But, for all his power, the demon was not invincible.

"Yes," she told Kento and all the ronin. "There is a way." Her gaze hardened, echoing her inner resolve. "There is always a way."

XX

Fifteen minutes later, the group was assembled in Dr. Koji's old office. Ancient samurai artifacts filled the room: katana and nodachi hung on the walls next to maps and scrolls; and kabuto from various eras sat on top of cases, which contained more delicate objects such as stone jewelry, cut and polished jade, and beaded prayers that were once woven into samurai sword hilts.

It was a priceless collection, but the young men had no interest in the artifacts; their attention was on the room's only computer, which potentially held the means to the world's salvation.

While they waited for the old computer to boot, Selena explained why she'd brought them here.

"Before the Ancient died, he told me, 'the greatest treasure is the key to Talpa's defeat.' Yuli and I have been trying to find an answer to that riddle, but we couldn't find anything. Until last night."

Ryo stiffened in surprised. Is that what she had been doing in that room? Admittedly he hadn't paid much attention to what she'd been doing recently, and Ryo felt guilty for avoiding her; instead of bickering, they could have been helping Selena understand the riddle!

No one noticed Ryo's self-reprimand, caught up as they were in Selena's story.

"The Ancient came to me in a dream, like he did with all of you. He told me to 'follow the way of laozi.' Thank you, Yuli," Selena said as the boy entered the room with a book in his arms. He handed it over to Selena, who took it with a smile and a nod. "Laozi means 'teacher' or 'old one' in Chinese, and I believe using that word was the Ancient's way to get my attention - as a reference to himself. But Laozi was also a person."

"He was an ancient philosopher," Mia supplied. "He founded Taoism."

Selena smiled at her friend. "And that was the key." She held up the book so everyone could see it. "Laozi's original guidelines for Taoism are in here. They are the key to the riddle."

Rowen took the book from her outstretched hand and flipped through it. He read the guidelines out loud.

"'Here are my three treasures. Guard and keep them! The first is pity; the second, frugality; the third, refusal to be 'foremost of all things under heaven'. For only he that pities is truly able to be brave; only he that is frugal is able to be profuse. Only he that refuses to be foremost of all things is truly able to become chief of all Ministers.'" Rowen paused to catch his breath, and then continued. "'At present your bravery is not based on pity, nor your profusion on frugality, nor your vanguard on your rear; and this is death. But pity cannot fight without conquering or guard without saving. Heaven arms with pity those whom it would not see destroyed.'" He looked up, finished.

"What does that mean?" Ryo asked.

"It means," Selena said, grinning, "that three treasures are needed to defeat Talpa."

"Wait," Kento said. "I thought that there was only one treasure. Isn't that what the Ancient said?"

Mia spoke. "He said, 'the greatest treasure is the key to Talpa's defeat.' These three treasures may be used to create the greatest treasure." She had the book now and was examining the passage herself. She looked at Selena. "Are you sure this is the correct passage?"

Selena nodded. "Absolutely. The Ancient told me to follow the way of Laozi. Laozi founded Taoism, which literally means 'the way.' And the guidelines specifically mention treasure, a phrase that is also used in the riddle." She smiled. "It can't mean anything else."

Mia frowned, reviewing Selena's logic and re-read the passage once more. Finally, she nodded. "It makes sense," she said. "I'll see if there's anything on my grandfather's computer to back it up."

"But if this is true, how are we going to find the three treasures? The book only mentions virtues, not actual objects."

Selena frowned; she hadn't thought that far. "That's a good question," she said to Cye. "I don't know."

For the first time since they entered the room, Anubis spoke. "Perhaps the treasures are objects infused with virtue, as the armors are."

The group turned to the monk, and Selena noticed that even though the ronin were still wary of him they were considering his words.

"That's a good point," Rowen conceded. "It's a possibility."

It was small, but it was progress. Perhaps the path to gaining their trust would not be as difficult as Anubis believed.

"Right," Sage interjected. "But even if that's true, how are we going to find these treasures? We know more about what they are than we do their location, and that's if they're still around. Laozi was alive thousands of years ago; anything could have happened to them in that time."

"Our armors are that old, and they managed to survive," Cye pointed out.

"Yes, but the Ancient watched over them."

"Maybe he protected the treasures as well. I would, if I knew they could destroy a powerful, insanely evil demon with a 1,000-year-old grudge."

Sage threw his hands up in exasperation. "This is getting us nowhere. Mia," he said, turning to the woman, "have you found anything?"

"I'm not sure," she responded, her voice hesitant. "My grandfather's code isn't the easiest to read."

Selena walked behind the desk and stood to the woman's right side. She scanned the symbols on the screen, but couldn't understand a word of it. Mia was good, if she could read this mess.

Something on the screen caught her eye and she looked closer. "What's that?" she asked, and pointed to a small rectangle. She squinted; it appeared to have something in it, some kind of drawing …

With a couple of keystrokes, Mia enlarged the image so that it took up the full screen. It showed three interlocking triangles around a single point of focus. Selena's brow furrowed and she frowned. What was this?

Anubis's deep voice came from behind her.

"I've seen that before. Talpa used it in the dynasty."

Selena turned to him, surprised at the ease with which she accepted his presence.

"Really? Do you know what it means?"

He shook his head. A few seconds later, Mia spoke. She sounded excited.

"This is interesting. Everyone listen to this." The guys instantly stopped debating the meaning – or even the very existence of – the treasures, and turned to Mia.

Once she saw that she had their attention, she started to read from the screen. "It says, 'Talpa can be defeated by using the Jewel of Life - the heart of the Ancients.'"

The group gasped, their jaws going slack with wonder.

"So Selena was right; there is a way to defeat Talpa."

Sage stared at the book that contained Laozi's guidelines from its place next to Mia on the desk. "The treasures are real," he murmured, his voice heavy with incredulity.

"Yes," Selena replied as she overheared Sage. "And this is one of them. Mia, is there any more information on the jewel?"

The woman nodded. "According to my grandfather's information, it was hidden by the first Ancients." She glanced at Selena. "Do you know anything about this?"

Selena frowned. "No, Kaos never told me about the jewel." She craned her neck to look at Anubis. "What about you, Anubis?"

For a moment, he simply gazed back at Selena, wondering why she seemed to know so much about the Ancient and his people. He shook his head.

"I have never heard of the jewel."

Despite his denial, Selena persisted. "This jewel is connected to the Ancients, and you have their power. Is there any way you can sense it?"

She posed the question lightly, as if she were merely making a suggestion, but there was something about the way she looked at him that told Anubis that Selena _knew _he could find it; that she was deliberately directing him toward a specific action.

This woman was very intriguing; with their every encounter she never ceased to surprise him. First it was her defiance as she fought him, even though he was a powerful warlord; then her steadfast belief in his reformation; and now her gentle persuasion on a subject that she should know nothing about.

He remembered her emotional reaction to his new place as the Ancient, and the deference the ronin had displayed toward her knowledge of the armors, and his suspicions increased.

_Who are you, truly? _He wondered.

"Yes," Anubis answered slowly as he studied Selena. "I can do that." He closed his eyes, let his thoughts of Selena slip away, and focused on the Ancient's power. For a while, he felt nothing and then his awareness expanded.

The room and the people in it fell from his consciousness as his the power guided his spirit away from the lodge, over the mountains, and to an isolated body of water. It plunged beneath the water's murky depths, and through the dark water Anubis saw a shadowed outline of a shrine. The Ancient's power was strong there.

Anubis opened his eyes, filled with a new knowledge. He looked at Mia.

"I sense that it is near water, if that helps."

Mia nodded. "Actually, it does." She pulled up a map on the computer screen. It showed Tokyo, the coastline, and other outlying areas. "My grandfather made some guesses as to where the jewel could be located." Mia entered a few commands and names popped up on the map in various places. She read them out loud.

"Let's see, there's the Tone River, Lake Numazawa, Mirua, Shugyoku Lake – "

"That's it!"

Mia looked up, startled at Rowen's outburst.

"Shugyoku Lake?" Cye repeated. He looked doubtful.

Selena smiled faintly. "I know," she said. "Ironic, isn't it?"

Mia selected the place name on her map and magnified its location. "It's right next to the Tama River, about an hour from here." She looked at Selena. "With your car and mine, we shouldn't have a problem getting everyone to the lake."

"No," Anubis said, his gaze shifting to where Yuli stood, pressed against a glass case, examining the old artifacts inside. "It's too dangerous. You should stay here, where it is safe."

Selena looked at him keenly. "The dynasty attacked us here, too," she reminded him. "No place is truly safe."

"Yeah," declared Kento. "But that's not gonna stop us from getting those treasures."

"No," Anubis agreed, relenting. "I suppose it won't."

Yuli piped up then, turning from the case to look back at the group. "Besides, the ronin warriors will protect us. Right, guys?"

Cye smiled at the boy. "Right, kiddo," he said and Yuli beamed.

"All right then," Ryo said in the brief silence, making the decision for the group. "We're going after the first treasure."

XX

Hidden from sight by the dense foliage of the forest, a figure watched as the ronin, the monk, woman, and boy got into two cars and left the house behind, the white tiger following on foot.

Kayura frowned. They'd left in an awful hurry. Her eyes narrowed. Just what were the ronin up to?

With a single graceful leap, she disappeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms, which wafted after the ronin, borne onward by a wicked wind.

* * *

**Notes**

A _koromo_ is the black outer robe that Japanese Zen Buddhist monks wear. Other clothing items include: a white inner kimono and a rakusu, which is a small garment that represents the kashaya robe. A kashaya robe is the outer robe worn by Chinese Buddhist monks, and by some Buddhist sects in Japan. The robe is identified by its colorful "rice field pattern," and has 5, 7, or 9 stripes. In the case of the rakusu, the garment is a rectangle worn over the heart. The straw hat worn by Zen monks is used to obscure their face during the alms ritual, known as takahasu, so those who give him alms do not see his face, and he theirs. This act is an embodiment of the perfection of giving – no givers, no receivers.

Samurai sometimes had prayers inscribed on the tang of their swords. This practice was common with those who wielded odachi. Because odachi were so long (five feet in length or more), they weren't used for long in battle. Instead, odachi became used as ceremonial swords and were sometimes given to shrines as offerings to a patron god.

_Laozi_ is Chinese for 'teacher' or 'old one,' which I thought was a perfect way to start the phrase's double meaning. In this sense, it refers to the Ancient, who was Selena's teacher and whose philosophy she's followed for several years. As far as the riddle is concerned, the phrase 'follow the way of Laozi' was intended as a hint to get Selena in the right direction.

Laozi (known to most of us today by the name Lao Tsu) was an ancient Chinese philosopher who founded Taosim. Taoism (or Daoism) roughly translates as 'path' or 'the way' (again, refer to the phrase). In Ronin Warriors, the ronin use the word 'Dao' before they say their virtue. In this sense, the ronin are literally following the path of their virtues as they summon their armors. Using these hints, Selena was able to find Laozi's guidelines for Taoism.

_Shugyoku _is Japanese for 'gem' or 'jewel.' I didn't want to use the English translation since 'Jewel Lake' is just too obvious. I mean, come on – anyone could've picked that out from all the Japanese name places. So I just changed it to Japanese but kept the irony.

Also, when I typed 'Shugyoku' into Google Maps, I got this: 'Shugyoku, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan.' Setagaya is a city in Tokyo (remember, Tokyo is a metropolis) – right next to the Tama River. And 'tama' means 'spirit,' 'soul,' or 'ball' in Japanese, which I find incredibly ironic since the Jewel of Life is a megatama – a sacred jewel. So maybe I couldn't find a Jewel Lake in Japan, but I did find a River of the Soul Gem – right next to my search results for an actual place called Shugyoku. Which is pretty damn awesome.

And yet another thing about the Tama River: it is an hour from central Tokyo. In the show, Mia says that Jewel Lake is an hour away. So, just for fun, I checked Google Maps and it said that from Setagaya (which is the closest city to the river), it would take about 48 minutes to get to Tokyo. So if you add 10 or 15 minutes to get to from the River to the city, then you've got your 1 hour. Isn't serendipity awesome?


	18. In Search of Secret Treasures

Hey all! Sorry for the delayed update; my usual schedule got kinda messed up last week. I start a new job tomorrow (yay!) and I'm not sure how my work hours are going to be, so give me two weeks for the next chapter. I'll try to get it out before then, I promise! Now, just to tie you over, this is the longest chapter that I've written so far - 22 pages! Enjoy!

Notes at the end.

* * *

_**Seventeen**_

For those in Selena's car, the drive to Shugyoku Lake was a quiet one. Not much was said as they left the city and entered the suburbs of Tokyo; whatever progress made in the house disappeared in the close quarters of the vehicle. For most of the trip, the ronin in her car stared out the window, lost in their own thoughts as they steadfastly ignored Anubis, allowing the music from the radio to drown the otherwise awkward silence.

Selena glanced at the man next to her. He'd quickly gotten over his amazement with the vehicle and, like the ronin, had barely spoken since they'd left the lodge. He too appeared to be deep in thought; his gaze was unfocused as he stared at, but did not see, the road disappear beneath the car as they sped through the outlaying towns.

It wasn't until they passed Setagaya's city limits and entered the surrounding countryside that Anubis stirred. He shifted in his seat and turned his attention to the green rice fields, which shone with water irrigated from the nearby Tama River. Farmers and their families were taking advantage of the good weather and worked in the fields; their upturned pants and bent backs visible from the road.

A little girl, no more than 6 or 7, turned when she heard the approaching car and waved as it passed by. Anubis waved back and the girl grinned. Selena saw the monk's echoing smile reflected in the window, and couldn't help but smile, too. Normally the knowledge that they were on a quest to stop the dynasty from taking over the world would sober her, but this time it didn't. She was smiling, and she didn't question why.

_So this is the real Anubis_, she thought, remembering how his face had lit up at seeing the simple houses and the little country girl. _I like it_.

Apparently Kento noticed the change in the monk's behavior, too because he said to Anubis, "You're different. What happened to the warlord that served us earthquakes for breakfast?"

Selena cringed. Although she wasn't the most eloquent with words, that could have been stated in a way that wasn't quite so harsh. She glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw that Rowen was listening now; apparently both ronin were interested in what Anubis had to say.

Anubis lowered his hand and sat back in his seat. He had that distant look in his eyes again.

"You have to understand that in Talpa's realm your will is taken from you. There is not freedom for body or soul; you cannot fight it, even if you want to." Anubis lowered his head. "I would have been evil all my life if I hadn't been saved and freed from Talpa's hold by the Ancient. Now I have found the truth, and I have found my true self as well."

"So you weren't always evil?"

The car bounced slightly as they crossed a bridge over the Tama River. Anubis shook his head. "No. But that was a long time ago."

Selena wanted to ask him what his life had been like before he was a warlord, but didn't, and the car grew silent once more.

Finally, not quite ten minutes later, a sign with the words 'Shugyoku Lake" and a big arrow pointing right appeared. Selena turned right and pulled into a graveled parking lot.

Kento looked around doubtfully. "Are you sure this is it? I don't see any lake."

Surrounding the parking lot was a thick green forest. A small sign poking above the undergrowth indicated the presence of a shrine somewhere within the trees, which was further encouraged by a path that began at the edge of the forest and disappeared around a bend that was barely visible from the car. And that was it; those small tokens were the only things that suggested that there was more to be found within the dense woods.

"There's no more road." Selena pointed to the sign at the start of the path. "Apparently this is a sacred site; no cars are allowed."

Kento sighed. "I guess that means we're walking."

Rowen shot his friend a lop-sided smile. "Hey," he said, "when did anyone say this was going to be easy?"

Kento laughed at the joke and Selena smiled at the banter. They got out of the car and Selena opened the back so Anubis could get the staff while the ronin joined the others; Ryo poured White Blaze water from plastic bottles into a dish that he'd brought, and the tiger lapped it up gratefully, his ears pointed toward Yuli as the boy ran around the parking lot.

Sage surveyed the forest with his arms crossed and echoed Kento's reservations. "I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "Something about this place doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" Mia asked.

Sage shrugged. "I'm not sure; it just feels … off."

Selena agreed. She'd had a perpetual chill the moment she'd stepped out of the car. She habitually scanned the woods even though she didn't know what she was looking for; she just knew she was looking for something.

"You are most likely sensing the residue from the Ancients' power," Anubis said, the rings of his staff jingling with each step he took. He stopped at the edge of the group. "It is very thick here."

"Is it because of the Jewel?" Yuli asked, wedging his way between Kento and Cye and into the center of the group. Anubis nodded.

"Yes. It is nearby. Its aura is very strong."

As one the group looked at the path winding its way into the woods, knowing that it led to the lake, and the first treasure. Once they started down this path, there would be no turning back; they would have to find the other two treasures, no matter where they were.

They all felt the weight of the moment, and said nothing. It was Cye who made the first step.

"Well," said the ronin, who was the most eager to get to this place if water was involved, "what are we waiting for?"

XX

The path was wider than they initially thought; Yuli took advantage of this by running ahead of the group and back again. He laughed as White Blaze kept pace with him and tried to outrun the tiger.

The ronin smiled at the boy's antics, but their eyes were watchful, searching for any sign of danger. But the day was bright, the air cool, and the dynasty did not appear.

The group was spread out over the path: Yuli and White Blaze were in the front, discovering the trail's unexplored avenues; followed by Mia, Ryo, and Rowen; and then Kento, Cye, and Sage. Selena and Anubis took up the rear, their pace slower than the others'.

The wound in Selena's side prevented her from walking at her normal pace, and so she lagged behind the rest of the group. Anubis walked beside her to keep her company as well as himself; the ronin were not yet so comfortable with his presence to speak to him for more than a few minutes at a time. Plus, he had his own reasons for walking with her.

He remembered how she'd known intimate details about the ten armors, and the way she'd gently coaxed him into exploring a power that she should have been ignorant of. It bothered him – a lot of things about her bothered him – and without warning, he broke the silence between them.

"How did you know that I could sense the Jewel?"

Selena blinked, startled by the question but instinctively knew that it demanded a response that went beyond Anubis's mantle as the Ancient. She carefully considered him.

"Do you really want to know?"

Anubis calmly returned her gaze and matched her sincerity with his own.

"Yes."

"The Ancient One was my master."

Anubis stumbled and his foot hit the end of the staff, causing it to jingle loudly. Sage and Cye turned toward them at the noise, but Selena waved them off. When she turned back to Anubis he'd regained his footing but was rooted to the spot in shock. He stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"What?"

Selena had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from laughing; she didn't think she'd ever seen the man this astonished.

"Kaos was my master," she repeated gently. "I was his student. He taught me about the armors, and the dynasty, and his people. He trained me as a warrior and as his disciple, although I was never meant to take up his mantle." Her gaze flickered from Anubis's clothes to the staff in his hand and back to his still confused blue eyes. She smiled. "I am well aware of the Ancient's powers; that is why I knew you could find the Jewel."

Anubis looked like he was trying to sort through what she'd just said. Finally, he said, "You carry many secrets."

Selena laughed; it was a nice, rich sound. "No more than you do, I'm sure," she responded, her dark eyes shining playfully.

For a moment he was confused and then he realized that Selena was teasing him.

"Perhaps," he acknowledged, returning her smile.

_Is this what having a friend is like?_ He thought. It had been so long since he'd had one that he wasn't sure. He looked at Selena, noting the ease with which she spoke to him, the relaxed banter, and the way her eyes lit up when she smiled at him. If this was friendship, he liked it.

Ahead of them, Cye waved.

"Hey!" he shouted, "We've found the lake!"

Selena and Anubis hurried forward, going as fast as they could without agitating Selena's wound. As they neared the end of the path, the trees peeled back until they were standing in a clearing. Ten feet in front of them the ground dropped, ending in a cliff that overlooked a shining lake.

Selena stared at it, mesmerized. The Ancients' power was even stronger here; it was like a steady pull on her heart. She glanced at Anubis; his eyes were closed and she knew that he felt it as well.

Rowen stepped next to the cliff and looked down. He whistled low and shook his head.

"It's quite a drop. We're going to have to find another way down."

"What about that?" Sage was pointing to another path that picked up to their left, and headed down, one eyebrow arched in silent question. Rowen gracefully conceded the point.

"That would work." He grinned sheepishly.

Kento groaned. "More walking? Man, no one said this would be a hiking trip!"

"It's a shrine, Kento," Ryo said. "We're supposed to make a journey."

"But this is one long journey," Kento pouted.

Selena laughed quietly, aware that they were headed into the territory that belonged to the very people who made the armors.

_You have no idea_.

XX

Hidden safely within the dense forest, Kayura watched the ronin make their way down the worn path toward the lake. She gazed at the distant water with distaste. The entire place absolutely reeked of some ancient power. It made her uncomfortable, which soured her mood. She was not used to feeling anything other than total confidence in herself and reverence for her master, and so this discomfort was unwelcome and unwanted.

Kayura closed her eyes and let the powers of her master's dark realm wash over her. The ancient power receded and her confidence returned. She opened her eyes again, a satisfied smile on her face. That was much better.

She looked back at the path; the ronin had disappeared from her sight, but that didn't matter. She glanced at the lake. She knew exactly where they were going.

XX

They came over the top of a hill and the lake stood before them, glistening in the slowly sinking sun. Anubis walked through the group until he stood in front of them, facing the water. His grip on the staff tightened and in one swift move planted the tip firmly against the ground in front of him. He made a sign with his free hand, bowed his head in submission, and the top of the staff began to burn.

The ronin, along with Mia and Yuli, gasped as the great power within the staff awakened, its golden tip shimmering and pulsing as its aura flared. An unearthly wind whipped around the group, a by-product of the staff's power and unconsciously, the ronin took a step back.

Anubis stood firm. He grasped the staff, pointed the top toward the water, and uttered a phrase that was lost within the wind.

There was a pulse, not unlike a giant's heartbeat, and the staff came to life. Lightning burst forth from the top of the staff in a brilliant shower of gold sparks. Its powerful column of light easily penetrated the water, which recoiled from its touch, gladly giving pass to the staff's master.

The lake water rose up, higher than the trees, its terrible shadow covering the ronin and their companions. For a moment the group thought that it would collapse, and then the water peeled back, revealing an ancient shrine hidden on the lake floor.

Selena gasped and stared in awe along with the others. The shrine was made of stone, carved by ancient hands into the shape of a ziggurat. A staircase led to a sealed gateway on the second level; it was the only entryway she could see from this distance.

Selena gave a prayer of thanks to Kaos and his people for granting them entry to this sacred place, and then fell into step behind the ronin as the group made their way toward the shrine.

"This is so cool!" Yuli commented, his eager eyes taking in the walls of water on either side of them. "No one is ever gonna believe this!"

"No, I don't think they will," Ryo said as he soothed White Blaze; the tiger was looking at the surrounding water distrustfully.

Yuli ran up next to the tiger, took in the animal's flattened ears and the way he shook off the water on his paws with each step, and looked at Ryo.

"White Blaze doesn't like the water, does he?"

"No," Ryo answered. "Cats don't like water."

"Oh. Then does he have to come with us? He could stay watch on the shore or something. He sure doesn't look happy."

Ryo glanced down at the tiger. He did look pretty miserable. The ronin smiled.

"No, he doesn't have to stay."

Yuli returned Ryo's grin and looked at the tiger. "Did you hear that, White Blaze? You can go back to the shore so you don't have to be around all this water."

White Blaze gave Yuli's face an appreciative lick, and then bounded away, water sloshing in his wake as he eagerly ran toward dry ground. Cye moved out of the tiger's way, but his mind was elsewhere.

"There are no plants here," he said, studying the exposed lakebed around the shrine. "That doesn't seem normal."

"And there's no plant growth on the shrine, either – at least none that I can see," Mia said, examining the worn stone as they walked up the slippery steps.

"There are ancient powers at work here," Anubis supplied. "They protect the shrine from decay, whether by time or willful destruction." He reached the sealed gateway and like Selena had done earlier, thanked the Ancient One for allowing them passage. His prayer finished, Anubis placed the head of the staff into a worn opening and said a few words in the Ancient's own language.

There was a great rumbling as something moved from within the shrine, then the sound of stone pressing against stone as the giant rock that guarded the gateway slowly withdrew, and the shrine lay open before them.

Anubis was the first to enter the dark passage, and he did so with reverence. Selena was close behind, and then the others followed, allowing the two disciples of the Ancient One to lead the way into a forgotten world.

XX

Kayura alighted on the muddy ground in front of the shrine and looked up at the ancient structure with disdain.

"What an ugly place," she said, shaking some mud from her boots. For the life of her she couldn't understand why the ronin were so interested in this place: it was dirty, decrepit, and in the bottom of a lake.

She shrugged; if the ronin were inside then at least she could trap them, or find out what they were doing. Imagine how pleased Master Talpa would be!

Kayura stepped onto the shrine and the stones beneath her feet pulsed in warning. She ignored them - after all, it was just some old magic – and continued until she stood at the shrine entrance.

As soon as she touched the gateway, a massive surge of energy swept through her body, electrocuting her. Kayura jumped back and landed on the muddy lakebed. Her eyes flashed at the shrine in hatred, her gaze landing on a glowing symbol – three interlocked whorls – etched into the stone above the shrine door.

Her eyes widened in shock; she knew that symbol! Master Talpa had warned her of it; had told her of its evils.

Her eyes narrowed; so that was the energy that she'd felt. She looked at the symbol once more. If this place was a haven for the Ancients, then surely it was a threat to Talpa. And the ronin were already inside!

"Talpa must know of this," Kayura muttered and disappeared, relieved to be leaving that dreaded place.

XX

With the presence of the first people to walk its hallowed halls in many centuries, the shrine slowly came alive. There was a faint ringing, like the echo of a bell on the inside of a waterfall, and the walls glowed blue. Gradually, as the light from the stone grew, the passageway became visible, as did the treasures that lined its walls.

Weapons, armors, mirrors, and scrolls – all of them very old and treasures in their own right – stood against the shrine passageway; silent guardians of a vanished people.

Selena stared in awe at the scrolled tapestries with their still vivid colors and detailed depictions of battle and conquest. Her hand hovered reverently above a drawing of a samurai encircled by fire, his arms raised above his head as he defiantly challenged the twisted shadows that fed the fire clawing at him.

"These are the first battles between mankind and demons," Selena breathed, her gaze traveling over the fantastic tapestry as she matched scenes with the histories her master had shared with her.

"They're incredible," Mia agreed. Selena glanced at the woman and recognized the itch, that urge to document the treasures around them. But that was not their purpose here; Mia would just have to do her best to absorb, and remember what she saw.

Typically, the men were more interested in the armors than anything else.

The armors came from different periods in Japanese history, spanning at least two thousand years. Differences in styles were evident, creating a visual evolution of the samurai armor. Despite these changes – some small, others large – all of the armors bore the same circular symbol, which identified them as belonging to the same clan.

"How did these armors get here?" Ryo wondered out loud. Ahead of the group, Anubis stopped and turned to answer the ronin's question.

"I believe they belonged to the warriors of the Ancient's people." His gaze swept over the armors that lined each wall. "This is their resting place."

"Resting place? In here?"

Anubis nodded. "Their spirits protect the shrine."

Kento's mouth dropped open. "Whoa, you mean that they're still alive?"

Selena answered for the monk. "The Ancient's people made these armors, just like they did ours. These armors are infused with a spirit, so even though their guardians are dead, they continue to look after the shrine."

"Huh. Well, I'm glad that they're on our side."

"Me, too," Yuli said. He looked like he want to touch one of the armors, but didn't, afraid that they might jump to life. He turned away from the armors and followed close behind Kento, seeking reassurance in the ronin's strength.

Soon they entered the shrine's main chamber. It was a very simple design: one large space occupied only by a small altar in the center of the room, against the back wall. Selena had to stifle a gasp. Here her master's power was very strong; it was almost as if he were in the shrine with them.

Yuli, however, seemed unaware of this great power and ran up to the altar. He peered inside.

"Hey!" he cried, turning back to look at the group. "There's a necklace in here!"

Yuli grabbed the Jewel and held it so that everyone could see it. Hanging from a chain of tiny gold beads was a polished stone in the shape of a spiral. For a moment, the coral-pink stone simply lay in Yuli's outstretched hands. Then it began to glow.

It didn't last long; just a brief flash and the Jewel returned to its normal color. It pulsed faintly in Yuli's hands.

The ronin blinked, not sure of what to make of it.

"What was that?" Cye asked. Instead of answering, Selena walked forward and Yuli silently gave the Jewel to her. The instant it touched her skin, the stone stopped pulsing. Its sudden inactivity did not go unnoticed.

The necklace felt heavy in her hand – not from the weight of the stone, but from the sheer force of the power contained within. Selena stared at the tiny jewel, barely believing that something so small could be so strong. If the jewel was this potent, she couldn't even begin to imagine the power of the other two treasures.

She handed the necklace back to the boy.

"Here," she said as Yuli clasped his hand around the beaded string. "The Jewel of Life is yours – "

Above Yuli's sudden cry of "Really?" Selena continued, her expression and voice serious as she addressed the boy.

" – _if _ you are willing to guard and keep it." She leveled her gaze at the boy. "The dynasty will come after this, and you will be pursued by many evil things, but you must keep the Jewel safe. If you are willing to do this, then the Jewel of Life is yours."

Yuli looked at the necklace in his hands and then back up at Selena. He nodded fervently, his gaze equally solemn.

"I do."

"Then guard it well," Selena said, taking the Jewel from Yuli's hands and placing it over his head to rest against his heart.

Anubis came to stand beside Selena. He smiled gently at the boy. "The Ancient is proud of you," he said.

Yuli's eyes grew wide and he couldn't help blushing. "Really?"

Anubis nodded. "Yes."

"Um, is this really a good idea?" Kento asked, interrupting the exchange. He and the other ronin had watched the exchange with growing unease. What did Selena and Anubis think they were doing, entrusting the Jewel to Yuli?

"Yes," Mia agreed. "Yuli is only a kid."

Selena and Anubis turned to the ronin, who were looking doubtfully at Yuli and the powerful amulet on his neck.

"The Jewel chose him as its guardian, and he accepted its will," Selena explained. "His age is irrelevant."

Yuli stepped from behind Selena then and looked at the ronin. "You guys don't believe in me?" He sounded hurt.

Ryo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's not that, Yuli. We just don't want you getting hurt."

"But you guys will protect me, right?"

"Not even we can protect you from everything," Rowen said.

"And the dynasty has a lot of demons," Sage intoned.

The ronins' attempts to reassure their young friend didn't work; Yuli looked like he was on the verge of either screaming or crying – his face was red and his shoulders shook as he fought to control himself.

"Do not worry," Anubis stepped forward, his soothing voice breaking the tension. He laid a hand on Yuli's shoulder, and the boy relaxed. "The Ancient will watch over Yuli, as will the Jewel. They will not allow harm to come to him."

Ryo shot the monk a warning look. "It's not the Jewel that I'm worried about, but the dynasty."

"The boy will be safe."

"He'd better be." The threat was clear. If there was one thing Ryo couldn't stand, it was placing innocent people in harm's way – especially if he couldn't protect them. They had just learned of the Jewel that morning and had no idea what it was capable of; he wasn't about to place his trust in an ancient necklace simply because a former warlord told him to.

"All right then," Kento said, his loud voice clearing up the mood. He clapped his hands together. "We've got the Jewel, so why don't we head out of here before it gets dark." He looked back over his shoulder where he could just see the outline of the Ancients' armors. He turned back and shuddered. "This place gives me the creeps."

Cye grinned mischievously at his friend. "Afraid of ghosts, Kento?"

"No," Kento returned defiantly, crossing his arms. "I just don't want to be here too late."

"Neither do I," Ryo agreed. "Okay," he said, letting his disagreement with Anubis slide for the moment. "Let's go."

The group filed out of the room and into the hallway. Reaching the doorway, Anubis paused and looked behind him; Selena hadn't moved from the inner shrine.

"Selena," he called gently and the woman turned, blinking. She looked like she'd been a million miles away, and he wondered what she'd been thinking of.

She looked around the room and saw that everyone else had left. "Just give me a minute," she requested, turning partially toward the altar. "I'd like to say goodbye."

"I understand," Anubis nodded and left Selena alone in the shrine.

XX

"Man, I can't wait to get back," Kento said as he, the other ronin, Mia, Yuli, and Anubis walked from the shrine to the shore.

"Me, too," Mia exclaimed eagerly. She glanced at the jewel on Yuli's neck. "Then I can examine the Jewel's components and find out more about it."

Rowen gave Mia a sidelong glance. "I don't think that's what Kento meant, Mia," he said.

"Yeah," Sage agreed. "He probably can't wait to get something to eat."

"Hey," Kento defended himself, "I worked up an appetite from all the hiking I did today."

"When do you not have an appetite?" Rowen shot back, grinning easily as he teased his friend.

"Oh yeah? And when did you last eat, Mr. Skin-And-Bones?"

Rowen blinked, feigning insult. "Hey! I have a high metabolism!"

"Right," Kento snorted. "And I'm just fluffy."

Cye followed his friends, but he wasn't paying attention to their discussion; he was focused on the lakebed. As he watched, small rivulets of water ran over the muddied ground they were walking on, and then grew stronger. Cye frowned. Something wasn't right.

A dull roar froze everyone in their tracks. They looked around for the source of the sound, confusion and apprehension flitting across their faces. A warning growl from White Blaze on the shore sent the ronin spinning into alarm.

"Run!" Ryo yelled. The small group broke for the shore just as the high walls of water collapsed.

"Selena!"

Cye heard the monk's cry and a cold fear gripped him as he realized that she was still in the shrine. He instantly summoned his subarmor, knowing that his element of water would protect him from the quickly approaching torrent. He turned to go back to the shrine, but the force of the water was too strong even for the bearer of Torrent. It crashed into Cye with the fury and force of a freight train and his vision swam. He could only watch helplessly as the waves reclaimed the shrine, hiding it from human sight once again.

"NO!" he yelled, fighting with all his might against the current, but not even his armor could help in the face of the water's fury. Cye was swept away, his cries mingling with the others' as they were sucked down into the depths of the dark and angry lake.

XX

In the shrine, Selena's head snapped up in alarm – not from the massive crash that shook the shrine, nor from the sudden collapse of the stone gate whose subsequent collision with the inner shrine's archway caused the ancient structure to crumble, effectively trapping her – but from the sinister presence she sensed behind her.

Selena threw herself to her left as the dull air in the shrine shifted. A loud 'clang' heralded the arrival of a deadly sharp three-pronged blade as it met the stone floor where Selena had been seconds before, and she transformed as she rolled.

Before she'd even come to a complete stop, her attacker was on her. Selena kicked at this unknown enemy, aiming for the person's gut. She locked onto the individual's arms as she pushed with her feet, and the two rolled. Unfortunately her attacker was no pushover – as she went over, her attacker used her own momentum against her and threw her off with a precisely aimed kick to her wounded side. Selena cried out as her side erupted into searing pain, and she crumpled against the cool stone floor.

"You're so weak," a disgusted voice said from above her.

Through her tears, Selena recognized that voice; it was as disarming in its innocence as it was sinister in its cruelty.

"Kayura." She spat the name with venom, but the woman above her only tittered with indifference.

"I don't see how you were chosen to wield a mystical armor." Kayura delivered a vicious kick to the ronin's side. Selena cried out at the contact with her already torn flesh, but Kayura didn't seem to notice – or care. "You are nothing," she spat and continued her assault on her victim.

Selena screamed as the dark lady's boot slammed against her ribs, cracking one.

"Don't worry," Kayura continued, looking down at the battered body by her feet with a sickly sweet grin. "You won't feel anything soon. And neither will your silly little friends."

At the mention of her friends, Selena's eyes shot open. What did she mean? What did she do? Her fear and need to protect the ronin overcame her body's mind-numbing pain. She ignored her body's protests and grabbed Kayura's ankle, which the woman had carelessly left within her reach.

Kayura's eyes went wide at the contact, but Selena didn't give her a chance to act. With sudden strength borne from desperation, Selena yanked her attacker's feet out from under her. Kayura fell and there was a sickening 'crack' as her head hit the stone floor.

Selena didn't care. Summoning her strength, she pulled herself off the shrine floor, and with one painful breath, called upon her armor.

Halfway through the summoning phrase, Selena was wracked with a coughing fit. When she pulled her hand away, she noticed that there were flecks of blood on it. Kayura began to stir and Selena's eyes narrowed in stubborn determination.

She cleared her throat and tried again. There was no way in hell that she was going to let this bitch get the best of her.

XX

Like Selena, the ronin were trapped. The waters of the lake refused to settle, and they twisted and churned violently, tossing the humans caught in its unrelenting grip. The ronin had to work hard to keep from drowning, but it wasn't easy. As soon as it was apparent that they wouldn't make it to shore, the five young men had summoned their subarmors, instinctively aware that they would protect them from the full assault of the water.

Without armors to protect them, Mia and Yuli weren't so lucky. The water crashed into them, nearly ripping Yuli from Mia's grip. The two struggled to stay above the waves, but their violent thrashing only served to pull them deeper into the abyss.

Cye shot toward them, but the powerful current refused to bend to his will.

"Come on, damnit!" he cried in frustration. What was going on with this water? Why wouldn't it listen to him? It was like it was polluted somehow, even though Cye could detect nothing of Sekhmet's presence here. He kicked harder, trying to get to Mia and Yuli, but the waves only pulled him further away.

"Help us!" Yuli cried, sputtering as he swallowed another mouthful of lake water. "Help!"

Despite his own struggles, Ryo heard the desperation in the boy's voice and he silently cursed Anubis. How was that stupid jewel supposed to protect them now?

Several yards from the ronin, Anubis broke the surface, gasping for air. He too heard Yuli's cries for help and knew that if assistance did not come, Mia and the boy would soon drown. Surprisingly, despite the thrashing waves and the scared cries of his comrades, he remained calm as he clutched the Ancient's staff.

"Help us, Ancient!" Anubis prayed. "Protect those who cannot protect themselves."

A tremendous roar and a flash of white responded in answer to the monk's pleas. The ronin watched, dumbfounded and relieved as White Blaze leapt into the churning waters. The tiger disappeared briefly beneath the waves, but soon resurfaced, headed toward Mia and Yuli.

He doggedly swam against the current, his large muscles straining as he fought the strength of the waves. Mia saw him first and tried to head toward the giant cat. Eventually the two sides met, and Yuli desperately clung to the tiger's matted fur as Mia, with one arm around White Blaze's neck, tiredly hauled the boy onto his back.

Cye, Rowen, Sage, Ryo, and Kento all sighed in relief as their two friends successfully climbed on White Blaze. For his part, Anubis simply smiled.

"Thank you," he quietly murmured to the Ancient.

That crisis may have been averted, but the danger wasn't over. As if furious at losing its first victims, the water became even more violent. The waves swelled and crashed over the humans' heads and roiled with fury.

"What the hell is going on?" Sage yelled, resurfacing after a particularly vicious wave pushed him under and threw him against the lakebed. These were the kind of waves that you'd expect in an ocean storm, not on a lake.

"We've got to transform!" Rowen returned, his throat going raw with the effort to be heard over the crashing waves.

Whether or not they heard him, the ronin seemed to understand what he was getting at, and one by one, they called on their armors.

The men gave each other panicked looks when nothing happened.

Kento voiced what was on everyone's mind.

"Aw, shit."

XX

The room bathed in a golden light as the Armor of Fervor was called forth. Selena sighed as Fervor's energy swept through her tired body, rejuvenating her and healing her smaller injuries. But even the armor had its limits; the cracked rib and the wound on her side, made by a dynasty blade, remained untouched by the armor's power. Selena did her best to ignore the pain as the heavy armor settled onto her body, well aware that in this particular battle, her armor was both a blessing and a hindrance.

Kayura knew it as well. Now standing across from the angry warrior, she laughed when Selena stumbled in an attempt to draw her blade from its place on her back.

Her mirth died when she caught sight of the crest on Selena'a armor – three interlocking spirals that formed a circle.

"YOU!" She shrieked, her face turning into an expression of extreme loathing. "You're one of them!"

Selena blinked, having no idea what Kayura was screeching about. She wasn't able to find out, either as Kayura suddenly launched herself at her, her twin blades in her hands and coming straight for her.

Selena barely managed to catch one blade with her hand, and all too familiar with the woman's method of fighting, immediately twisted her body to avoid an attack that would have sliced her other side. Echoing her earlier move, Selena slammed a knee into the woman's mid-section, fighting back the pain that action caused.

Kayura fell back, placing some room between the two women, and Selena tried once again to reach her sword. It was a no-go; sharp pain shot up her chest and she automatically clutched her rib.

_Screw the sword_, she thought, her eyes narrowing in frustration. Kayura came at her again, but Selena refused to be intimidated and punched the woman in the face. Her fist connected with Kayura's jaw, which staved the dark lady's attack.

Kayura cried out in pain, a sound that Selena found to be extremely gratifying.

_Serves you right_, she thought viciously and pulled back for another swing, but paused when Kayura deftly stepped away from her.

Selena blinked, confused. _What the hell?_

Kayura stood at one end of the shrine and held her swords out to her sides. She moved them in a wide arch above her head, an unearthly wind accompanying her movements that picked up in force.

Belatedly Selena realized what Kayura was doing.

_Oh shit_, she thought, desperately trying to grab her own weapon, but her wounds wouldn't let her and she found that she didn't have the strength to hold the heavy blade anyway.

_Help!_

Behind her, the altar glowed. Selena felt a heat in her armor – not a searing heat, but a gentle, determined warmth – and she looked down, her eyes clouding in confusion as her armor's crest burned brightly. What - ?

She heard Kayura finish her incantation and she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the attack. But it never came.

Selena cracked an eye open and gasped. In front of her, in an arch, stood the armors from the hallway. They formed some kind of shield that easily deflected Kayura's attack. But neither they nor the attack harmed the woman; the dark energy simply disappeared, although Selena could feel the heat from the two powers as they met.

Slowly the ring of armors advanced on Kayura, and Selena watched, both fascinated and puzzled as they neither protected nor harmed the evil lady. They simply walked toward her and, when they were about three feet away, stopped.

There was a pause and then the light from the altar shot out into the shrine.

Selena gasped as she felt it pass through her, adding her armor's power to its own. It felt like someone was running water through her heart or her soul; it was weird, but it didn't hurt. She watched with a detached amazement as the energy continued through her and to the armors standing around Kayura.

When the power reached them, it spread out over the dark lady, who was pressed against the wall, her eyes wide with fear as she stared at the silent soldiers. The golden light engulfed her.

Kayura screamed.

Selena jolted at the sound; it was not something that she expected from the woman. It was as if her very soul was crying out in anguish. It hurt Selena to hear it, and her armor pulsed.

Selena gasped, her eyes wide. Had her armor just responded to Kayura's pain? What the hell was going on?

Then something else happened – something within the golden circle created by the soldiers began to glow. Selena couldn't see through the armored bodies, but she was suddenly aware of another light, another power in the room.

Like a hand snuffing out the light, the Ancients' power was suddenly cut off. The soldiers collapsed, and Selena gasped as her armor's energy suddenly plunged into nothing. The shrine darkened. Kayura was nowhere to be seen.

Selena dropped to the ground, completely exhausted. She could barely move; the weakened state of her armor combined with her injuries made movement almost impossible. Selena closed her eyes in a vain effort to push away the pain. She didn't want to move; she didn't want to think about what just happened; she only wanted to rest.

But it wasn't to be. The shrine groaned ominously. She had to get out of here.

Selena glanced at the destroyed archway and knew that she wouldn't be leaving that way. Plus, water dripping in through the cracks between the piled stone told her that she didn't want to go that way in any case. So what was she to do?

Selena lay back on the floor, resting her spinning head as she considered her options. And then her eyes landed on the ceiling.

XX

Mia stared at the floundering ronin in horror. Although she couldn't hear what they were saying, the look of absolute panic on their faces told her that something was very wrong.

"Why haven't they transformed yet, Mia?"

Icy fear gripped her heart at Yuli's innocent words. Her eyes were wide in disbelief.

"Maybe they can't, Yuli," she whispered, her body going cold from the implications. If the ronin couldn't call their armors, they were all going to drown!

XX

For the moment, the ronins' subarmors were protecting them from the full brunt of the storm, but they knew it wouldn't last. They could feel their powers growing weak and their strength leave them as they continued to be battered by the angry waves. This giant whirlpool made them weak against its natural force. Ryo, with his power of fire and Kento, with his power of earth, were the most affected by the churning torrent. It pressed down on them, putting pressure on their armors, which fought wildly against the powerful element. Even Cye was unable to focus long enough to summon his armor; the strength of the waves was too great even for him.

Kento was pissed. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?" he demanded, cursing as another wave crashed over him. He was so tired; all he wanted to do was sleep …

Beneath them, the lake began to glow. It was faint at first, but it quickly grew until it had spread across the width of the lake. Water started to bubble upwards from the center of the lake and the source of the light became stronger as it neared the surface.

The center of the lake exploded with a brilliant golden light. The ronin watched, half in shock, half in awe as a figure flew with the light. It landed limply in the water.

"SELENA!"

She didn't respond; she didn't do anything other than lie in the water, her head lolling lifelessly with the waves. Fear unlike anything they had ever experienced before shot through the ronins' hearts, and they struggled against the resurging tide to reach her unmoving form.

Cye, whose armor was less affected by the storm than the others', reached her first, grabbing her before the weight of her armor pulled her beneath the waves. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her head against his shoulder to keep it above the water. Cye quickly looked Selena over; her eyes were closed and her face was pale. Alarmed, he tried to wake her.

"Selena," he said, "can you hear me? Selena?"

When she failed to respond, his panic increased. "She's unconscious!" he yelled to his friends. Unfortunately, they were too far away to do anything. Cye desperately looked to the shore and cursed; it was so far away, and with the added weight of Selena and her armor, he doubted that he'd be able to make it.

Rowen seemed to understand his dilemma, and yelled, "Use your armor! Hurry! Before the storm picks up again!"

Cye shook his head and coughed when he inhaled some water. "I can't!" He returned. "It might kill her!"

Anubis went rigid with fear. Was Selena really that bad off? She'd used a tremendous amount of energy escaping from the shrine, but her armor should have protected her. What happened to her in there?

Knowing that Cye couldn't hold on to her forever, Anubis began to swim towards the floating couple, even though he wasn't really sure what he would do once he got there. He just knew that if something wasn't done soon, someone – _Selena_ – was going to die.

Sudden determination, as well as something else, flared inside him and he clenched his jaw. He wouldn't let that happen.

XX

Yuli watched the scene unfold before his young eyes with growing fright. His fingers dug tight into White Blaze's fur as he desperately tried to hold on to the tiger, who was struggling to stay above the waves with the two humans on his back. Yuli could feel White Blaze's muscles working beneath his fingers, and even though he was amazed at the animal's strength, for the first time the boy knew that it wouldn't be enough.

The wicked waves thrashed the ronin about wildly, especially Cye as he struggled to keep his hold on Selena, who was still unconscious. Yuli watched as her head lolled from side to side in time with the waves; as the ronin choked on water as the storm forced it down their tired lungs; as their tired muscles uselessly tried to keep their bodies afloat.

Yuli's eyes were wide. They were dying.

His fingers tightened in White Blaze's fur. This wasn't right. The ronin warriors couldn't die. The dynasty couldn't win, not now, not after all they had gone through and fought for.

The Jewel beat rhythmically against his heart in time with the vicious waves. Slowly, Yuli's hands left the safety of White Blaze's fur and his fingers clutched around the tiny Jewel, stilling it against his heart. His eyes blazed with determination.

His friends needed help.

XX

A scream tore above the din of the crashing waves. It was the scream of a terrified woman.

"YULI!"

The ronin desperately tried to find the trio through the ever-rolling waves, and when they did find them, Mia's panic became their own.

Yuli was in the water.

For a moment it looked as if Yuli had fallen off of White Blaze, but as Mia reached into the water to grab the boy, he did something strange. He pulled away from Mia and appeared to be arguing with her. He suddenly lashed out and kicked at her. A look of shock crossed Mia's face, and she pulled back. Seconds later, Yuli plunged into the churning waters.

"No! Yuli!" Ryo cried, but he could nothing but watch helplessly as the boy was swept up in the strong current.

"Cye!" Kento yelled; Torrent was their only hope, but the teen was equally stressed. He gestured to the still unconscious Selena in his arms.

"I can't save them both!" He screamed, paling as he realized that he'd just doomed either a ronin warrior or a little boy to their death.

"Sonofabitch!" Kento cursed. What the hell had happened to the nice day they'd all been enjoying?

Yuli, however, wasn't paying any attention to the ronins' outbursts. He kicked his short legs furiously, trying to move against the current, but it was too strong. His eyes widened as he was suddenly sucked under the waves, the ronin vanishing from his sight.

He struggled in the swirling waters, watching in horror as the Jewel of Life slipped over his head. It floated for a moment, and then began to sink into the lake's murky depths.

XX

Anubis saw the boy slip under the water first. _No!_he cried, his mental shout echoed by seven very real, horrified screams: six human and one mournful whine from the white tiger.

Sage, who was the closest to where Yuli had disappeared, dove under water in search of the boy. But the pull of the water was too strong, and Sage soon surfaced – much farther from where he started.

A determined look on his face, the ronin ducked under the water again.

Anubis, along with the others, scanned the waters with fearful eyes for any sign of their companions. As the seconds ticked by, their anxiety increased.

_This should not have happened_, Anubis thought. _This is not the way!_

Suddenly, Anubis frowned. Was the water … glowing?

A second later his eyes widened in shock. He turned to warn the others, but it was too late.

The lake suddenly pulsed with a pale pink radiance. The waters groaned and became more violent, and the air shimmered with an unseen power.

"Look!" Rowen cried, pointing above the lake. Anubis watched as a delicate pink arch formed above and around the lake. It hesitated for a moment, and then plunged down toward the ronin and their companions.

Instinctively, Anubis brought his staff up and pointed it at this unknown force, but the staff remained inactive. Anubis stared at it in shock. What?

In instant later, the pink light was upon him. It surrounded him and then lifted him out of the violent waters. Now the monk was completely dumbfounded. He watched in silent shock as the ronin, Mia, and White Blaze were lifted from the waters as well, each encased in their own pink bubble.

_What is going on?_

He got his answer as a bubble appeared above the water holding Yuli, who held a glowing Jewel of Life in his hands.

Anubis understood then; somehow the boy had activated the Jewel, and in so doing saved them all.

The bubbles deposited them safely on the beach, well out of the water's reach, which, Anubis noticed, was slowly returning to its normal calm state. That was fascinating enough, but the monk's mind was elsewhere. As soon as the pink light disappeared, Anubis was up and headed to Selena's side.

Cye had already removed her helmet and was leaning her against his chest, sitting her up to ensure that she wouldn't accidentally choke on any water still in her lungs. A small pang jolted inside him at the sight, and Anubis frowned. Where had that come from?

Cye looked up as Anubis approached.

"Is there anything you can do?" He glanced back down at Selena, his face a mask of worry. "I don't know – I mean – "

"Let me see," Anubis said as the young man trailed off. Cye lowered Selena to the ground and Anubis quickly checked her airways.

"Hmm," he frowned, glancing at Selena's pale face. Her airways were clear, so why was she still unconscious? Once more he found himself wondering what had happened to her in the shrine. _Did she meet whatever caused the lake to attack us?_

"What's wrong with her?" Kento asked, coming to stand next to Cye, who was watching Selena with wide, frightened eyes.

"She's not dead, is she?" This came from Yuli, who stood between Mia and Ryo.

"No," Anubis replied, much to the relief of the surrounding company. "But she is very weak." He looked at Yuli then, who still clutched the Jewel of Life in his hands. "May I see the Jewel?"

Yuli looked startled for a moment, and then nodded, handing the dull Jewel to the monk. Anubis took the Jewel from the boy and, gently lifting Selena's head, placed the necklace over her shoulders, where the Jewel rested just above her crest. Then, with one hand on the Ancient's staff and the other over the Jewel, Anubis closed his eyes and concentrated.

The ronin gasped as the orb at the top of the staff began to glow, as did the Jewel beneath the monk's hand.

"Look!" Yuli pointed, "Selena's armor is glowing!"

Indeed it was. The power from the staff and the Jewel reacted with Selena's spirit as it flowed into her, causing the armor to give off a faint shine. The ronin watched, amazed; is this what the Jewel of Life was capable of?

Without warning, Selena's eyes flew open and she gasped. Its purpose complete, the Jewel ceased to glow, as did the Ancient's staff. Anubis removed his hand from the now conscious warrior and sat back. The movement caught Selena's attention and she turned toward the monk, blinking rapidly as her eyes focused on him.

"Anubis?"

When he nodded, Selena groaned and let her head fall back against the sandy beach. After a moment's pause she looked at him.

"You must be getting really tired of saving me."

Anubis's lips turned upward in a smile. "No," he assured her, "it's good practice."

Selena snorted faintly. "I'm sure it is." She let her head fall back again and froze as the memories of Kayura's attack came flooding back to her. The next word out of her mouth was a curse.

The ronin took a step back, startled by the ferocity in her voice. Despite her injuries, she was pissed. "I'm going to kill that Kayura!" she yelled as she struggled into a sitting position.

"Kayura?" Ryo questioned, his voice rising slightly in shock. "Wasn't she the one who attacked you before?"

"Yes," Selena hissed between clenched teeth, her hand automatically going to her side, which was really throbbing now. In order to relieve some of the pressure on her wounds, Selena dismissed her armor. Dressed in her subarmor now, she continued. "She just showed up in the shrine and went after me. What is wrong with that woman?" Selena cried, clenching her fists in anger.

"Whoa, wait," Rowen stepped in, hands held up in a placating manner. "Why would she attack you when we had the Jewel of Life?"

Selena shot the ronin a look that clearly said 'I have no idea.' She was injured, her pride damaged, and she'd just been tossed around a lake like a piece of driftwood; she was not in the mood for niceties.

"Maybe this Kayura didn't know we had it," Sage suggested, ignoring Selena's ire.

Cye frowned and turned to his friend. "But that still doesn't explain why she went after Selena and not the rest of us."

"Perhaps," Anubis spoke as he helped Selena to her feet, "Kayura was not aware of the Jewel at all." He paused as eight pairs of eyes focused on him, not the least of which belonged to the woman in his arms. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "It is possible," Anubis continued, "that the dynasty knows nothing of the three treasures."

Ryo's piercing gaze met his. His arms were folded across his chest, and he did not look happy. He nodded to the chain around Selena's neck.

"What about now?"

* * *

**Notes:**

Setagaya is a city next to the Tama River. Both are actual places in Japan - about an hour Southwest from central Tokyo.

_Ziggurats_ were massive structures built in receding tiers with a rectangular bottom – a pyramidal structure with a flat top. Access to the ziggurat came from either a series of ramps or a spiral staircase leading to the top. They were used as dwelling places for the gods, and only priests were permitted to enter them, as it was their responsibility to administer to the gods and care for their needs. One of the most famous remaining ziggurats in the world today is the Great Ziggurat of Ur, located in Nasiriyah, Iraq.

The symbol above the shrine is a _mitsudomoe_ – three interlocked whorls in a circle. In the Shinto religion, the mitsudomoe is believed to be representative of the threefold division (Man, Earth, and Sky) at the heart of the Shinto religion. The mitsudomoe is also traditionally the symbol of Hachiman, the Japanese god of warriors and the divine protector of Japan and the Japanese people. Accordingly, the mitsudomoe was adopted my several samurai clans as their crest. I used it as the crest of the Ancient One's clan, who originally stood against Talpa and through the centuries have continued in their role as protectors of the mortal world.


	19. Weaving Wicked Webs

Hey all! The new job has kept me busy, but I think I've got the hang of it! Hurray for income, right? Anyway, enjoy the chapter and as always THANK YOU for your awesome reviews! You guys rock!

Author's notes at the end.

* * *

_**Eighteen**_

"I'm fine, Ryo," Selena said for what felt like the umpteenth time, waving the young man away.

Concerned blue eyes stared determinedly back at her. "Selena, you're hurt – "

"I'm _fine_," she insisted, cutting Ryo off before he could start another lecture. Sheesh, she had to practically die for Ryo to show her a bit of concern. Selena remembered when they'd first met; she, Mia, and Yuli had to be kidnapped and held hostage by some maniac dynasty soldier before the ronin stopped bickering and came together as a team. Internally she sighed; couldn't these boys do anything normal?

Noticing that Ryo refused to take the hint and leave, Selena sighed. "Look," she said, trying not to let her irritation show, "I know that you're trying to help, but I'm okay, really I am."

Ryo raised an eyebrow at her. He looked unconvinced. Selena tried another angle.

"Besides, Mia's here to take care of me." She looked pleadingly at the redhead. "Right, Mia?"

Mia looked up from her inspection of the Jewel of Life and sighed. She gave Ryo a tired look. "She'll be fine, Ryo. If I need anything, I'll come and get you."

Ryo looked from Mia to Selena, seemingly debating with himself. Finally he nodded.

"Okay," he said. "I'll go." He turned a sharp eye on Selena. "But you take it easy," he ordered.

Selena, not used to being told what to do, especially by someone younger than her, glowered. "Yes, mom," she muttered to herself, thankful that Ryo didn't hear her as he left the room. She really didn't need another person fretting over her right now.

Ever since Kayura's attack three days ago, the ronin had fussed about her like five mother hens, enforcing a strict 48-hour bed rest to accelerate her body's healing – the latter because of an incident the morning after their return from the lake, where Rowen had found Selena – who had obviously been awake for hours – downstairs, leaning against a desk and oblivious to the weeping wound in her side as she tried to figure out the secrets of the Jewel of Life.

Since then the ronin had refused to let her do anything herself; they made sure she was comfortable, brought her meals, took turns entertaining/supervising her, and made a point of regularly updating her on Mia's progress with the Jewel. It was sweet, but it was also overbearing. Selena sighed. She just wanted her space.

Mia heard her sigh and glanced over at the other woman. She looked tired, which was understandable, and annoyed, which was less so.

"He's just worried about you," Mia said, her gentle voice meant to soothe. It worked.

"I know," Selena replied, her eyes downcast. "But I am fine." She caught Mia's dubious look and frowned. "What?" She asked a tad defensively. "I am."

Mia only shook her head. "Don't tell me what's what," she replied tartly. "I've changed your bandages; I know what's under that shirt."

At the mention of her injuries, Selena looked down, guilt flashing across her face. Courtesy of Kayura's twin attacks, she had two bruised ribs and a stab wound in her abdomen that was healing slowly thanks to the extra assault it had endured several days ago. She was stiff, sore, and just generally worn out. She hated it.

"You're right," Selena said quietly. "I'm not fine. I just don't want them to worry about me so much."

Mia smiled. "They can't help it; you're one of them. None of them want to see you hurt."

Selena said nothing for several moments, mulling over her friend's words. Mia went back to inspecting the Jewel, which was laid out beneath a high-resolution scanner. Three days of scanning, and they still had no idea what this Jewel was or how it worked. Mia blew an irritated breath out her nose; it was extremely frustrating.

"How's Yuli?"

Mia looked up, startled at Selena's quiet question.

"Oh – he's … fine." Mia winced; she should have used another word. Quickly she tried to cover her mistake. "He's still a little shocked, I think, and he can't remember how he activated the Jewel." Her voice grew quiet. "I think it bothers him, not knowing how to use the necklace, or why it chose him to guard it."

Selena smiled faintly at that. "I know how he feels." Suddenly she grew serious. "He should speak to Anubis."

Mia looked surprised. "Anubis? Why?"

"He's …" Selena grew uncomfortable. She didn't want to say too much; it might make the others worry. "He's dealing with a similar problem."

_He's dealing with several problems_, Selena thought. Ever since he'd helped her at the lake, he'd been acting strange around her. He didn't avoid her; in fact, he was always the most reluctant to leave whenever Cye or one of the others came to take his place as her temporary ward, or when Mia came to change her bandages.

Anubis sought her out just like he always did, except … now something was different. It was hard for her to explain, but there was something different about the way he spoke to or even looked at her. It made her feel flustered.

Selena frowned. She wondered if she'd done something. Her memory after the fight with Kayura was pretty hazy. Had something happened at the lake that she wasn't aware of?

Mia continued as if she hadn't noticed Selena zone out.

"Is he?" She sounded surprised. "He hasn't mentioned anything, but then again, he does talk to you more than anyone else. Could you ask him to speak to Yuli? I don't want him to think that what happened was his fault."

Selena blinked as her thoughts returned to the present, just catching the end of what Mia was saying.

"Huh? Oh, yes. I'll talk to Anubis." She turned in the chair toward Mia. "Do you know where he is?"

Mia thought for a moment. "I think he went with Cye and Kento to the city to get food and supplies."

Selena blinked, surprised but not unhappy with this development. "I take it the guys are getting used to Anubis, then?" This was the first day that she'd been allowed to leave her bed; apparently she'd missed out on quite a bit in the last few days.

Mia hesitated. "They're … dealing with it, I suppose." She paused to search for the right words. "They know he's not with the dynasty anymore and they're grateful for what he did for you, but ..." She shrugged. "These things take time."

"Well, they're going to have to get over it." Selena's eyes hardened. "Time is the one thing we don't have."

Now it was Mia's turn to look surprised. "Do you think the dynasty will attack?" She couldn't stop herself from glancing at the Jewel of Life where it lay on the table.

Selena snorted quietly. "Don't they always?" She sighed, then slowly and painfully got to her feet. "I'm going out," she announced. "I can't stand being cooped up any longer."

Mia smiled her understanding. "If Ryo comes, I'll cover for you."

Relief shone in Selena's eyes. "Thanks," she said and headed out the door.

XX

Selena was just a few feet from the front door – to freedom – when it was thrown open and three young men stepped inside, shopping bags of various sizes in their hands. Selena was surprised; this wasn't a trio she'd expected to find.

Noticing her first, Cye immediately issued a harsh reprimand.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he demanded.

Upon hearing Cye's reproach, Anubis and Kento's heads swiveled in her direction. Kento, who was obviously less concerned that the injured woman was out of bed than his friend, immediately launched into an account of their trip.

"Selena!" Kento greeted her enthusiastically. "We took Anubis on a little side-trip. What do you think?"

She'd been staring at him from the moment he walked through the front door – how could she not? He looked so different. His monk's robes were gone, replaced with a modern getup: an olive green shirt with a patterned jacket, khaki pants, and brown dress shoes. But that wasn't what held her attention. Selena let her eyes travel over Anubis, noticing now that he wasn't wearing that bulky armor or loose monks robes how handsome he truly was: his broad shoulders, lean figure, and long legs …

"You look good," Selena managed, her mouth suddenly dry.

Anubis beamed. "So do you," he returned and there was something in the way he said it that made Selena think that he wasn't just referring to her sudden mobility. She blushed and mentally tried to get a grip on herself. What was she thinking? This was Anubis!

Selena cleared her throat. "You've got perfect timing," she said, hoping to distract everyone from the slight blush that tinged her cheeks. She nodded to Anubis. "I need to talk to you."

Anubis nodded, giving Selena his consent even though he had no idea what she wanted to talk about. "Let me put these away," he said, moving to drop his packages at the same time Kento noticed the pink tint to Selena's cheeks.

The teenager peered dubiously at her face, frowning in concern. "Hey, Selena, why is your face so red? Are you getting a fever?"

Selena choked and did her best to wave the young man off. "No – no, I'm fine." Internally she cringed; was that going to be her word of choice for the day?

Cye easily intervened before Kento could go any further. "I'll take care of it," he offered Anubis, placing a gently restraining hand on Kento's arm as he ignored his friend's outburst and took the bags from the monk. "Come on, Kento," he continued, already walking further into the house, "let's get this stuff put away."

Selena let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. _Crisis averted_, she thought and then cringed when she heard Kento loudly announce that if she got sick it wouldn't be his fault because at least he cared enough to ask if something was wrong.

Selena mentally rubbed her temples. Boys …

She glanced at Anubis and saw that he was looking at her expectantly. She gestured to the open door.

"Do you mind if we go outside? I feel like I haven't seen the sun in days."

Anubis nodded his agreement and they stepped onto the front porch, the door closing behind them. Selena leaned against the wooden railing, closing her eyes as she soaked in the warm sunlight, doing her best to ignore Anubis's sudden proximity as he stood beside her.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked casually, looking down at her.

"Yuli," Selena answered truthfully, opening her eyes in time to see confusion dart across the man's face. "What happened at the lake bothers him. He doesn't know how to control the Jewel and he's scared. Somehow, he managed to activate it, which saved us. But he doesn't know how he did that, and from what I gathered from Mia, Yuli is afraid that he won't be able to activate it if we need it again."

Anubis quickly honed in on the main point. "He's afraid of failure."

Selena nodded. "Specifically, failing the ronin."

Anubis shifted so that he too, was leaning against the porch railing. He looked at Selena. "What do you want me to do?"

"I thought that you could talk to him. Being a guardian isn't easy, especially of a power that you don't fully understand." At that, Anubis glanced at her sharply, and she returned with a look that said that she'd chosen those words deliberately. There was a brief pause between them, and then Selena swiftly returned the focus to Yuli. "Right now he's afraid of the Jewel. As long as he continues to reject it, he will never master the Jewel's powers."

For a long time Anubis didn't say anything, he simply stared out, his gaze sweeping over the parked cars, Yuli's forgotten skateboard, and the road leading to the distance town.

When he spoke, his voice was quiet but insistent. "How did you know that I was having difficulties with the Ancient's staff?"

Selena shivered under his intense gaze. "I noticed something – a hesitation, a doubt – when you told the guys about the staff. And – I felt it, at the lake. You used the Jewel to heal me," here Selena lightly fingered the spot on her neck where the Jewel had lain. Anubis followed her fingers' movements with silent interest and something unreadable in his gaze. Suddenly her fingers stilled and she looked at him. Anubis snapped his gaze up to meet hers, and he was surprised at the expression on her face; it was kind, almost empathetic. And there was something else …

"But you didn't have to. The staff is powerful enough." Selena continued, and his thoughts shattered as he focused solely on the sound of her voice. She turned toward him fully then, keeping one hand on the railing for balance. "Don't doubt yourself, Anubis. The Ancient gave you his powers because he knew you could handle them. You should trust his judgment."

Anubis looked like he was about to say something, but then changed his mind. He smiled gently. "Don't worry; I'll talk to Yuli. Come on," he said, tugging on her arm. "Let's go back inside before Kento starts to think that I'm trying to kill you."

XX

Roughly an hour later, things moved normally in the household. Cye was in the kitchen cooking, where Kento and Rowen were "helping." Loud shouts, traded banter, and Cye's increasingly frequent threats could be heard throughout the house. Sage, shaking his head in annoyance at the ruckus, had moved himself outside where he was currently meditating. And Ryo was … somewhere, doing whatever it was he was doing. Selena didn't know; she hadn't seen him since that morning when he'd told her to take it easy.

Selena was back in the room with Mia, lounging in a padded chair with a book cradled in one hand and an apple in the other. She easily blocked out the clatters and bangs still coming from the kitchen and took a bite out of the apple, her brow furrowing as she flipped a page with her thumb.

"Mia," she said, chewing around the apple, "you've heard of the legend of Amaterasu, right?"

The redhead looked up from the scanner, where she was rotating the lens to capture a new angle of the Jewel on the computer. "She's the sun goddess and supposed ancestor of the Imperial family."

Selena nodded but didn't take her eyes off the page she was currently reading. "Right, but did you know that she supposedly gave mankind three gifts?" She looked up then. "And one of them was a necklace with a magatama on the end."

Mia's eyes widened. "The Jewel of Life!" She quickly glanced at the tiny pink jewel hanging loosely on its golden beaded chain and back at Selena. "Could it be the same?"

Selena shrugged. "Maybe. I'll keep reading; maybe it'll say something about what this Jewel of the Gods is supposed to do."

Mia opened her mouth to ask Selena what the other two gifts from Amaterasu were when Yuli walked into the room, closely followed by Anubis. Mia's eyes went wide when she saw the monk wearing normal clothes.

"I see that Kento and Cye did more than just grocery shopping," she commented.

"Yes," Anubis said, glancing down at his new clothes. "They took me to a large place called a 'shopping mall.' It was very … busy."

Mia laughed. "I bet it was; it is a Saturday."

Anubis looked confused; he had no idea what that was supposed to mean but he didn't ask Mia to elaborate. He gave Yuli a gentle pat and the boy ran to Mia's side, quickly perching himself on top of a stool so that he could better see what she was doing with the Jewel. Selena noticed that the boy stared at the Jewel with interest; he looked more relaxed than he'd been in days and almost back to his usual cheerful self.

"I take it your talk went well." She spoke quietly to Anubis, who'd come to stand beside her.

"Yes," he replied, his voice equally soft; he didn't want Yuli to know he was talking about him. "It was enlightening, especially for me." He smiled. "That boy has a good heart. I know now why the Jewel chose him."

"Mmm," Selena agreed, watching Yuli as he helped adjust the Jewel. "He's a good kid."

Sensing that he was the topic of their conversation, Yuli glanced at the couple with a frown.

"Hey, are you guys talking about me?"

Selena laughed, knowing she was caught. She forced back a wince at the strain that simple movement placed on her ribs, and hoped that no one had noticed. One look from Anubis told her otherwise – he was frowning slightly – but Selena dismissed his concern by turning her attention to Yuli.

"I was just saying how cute you are!"

Yuli made a face. "Uck. I am _not_ cute."

At the boy's look of horror, Selena couldn't help but laugh again. Halfway through, a pain hit her in the side and her breath caught. She quickly covered it with a smile and slowly let her breath out, relaxing her sore muscles. Damn, but that hurt.

Anubis's frown deepened as he watched Selena. Even if no one else noticed her forced smile, he did. And he didn't like what it meant for her health.

Rowen walked in on the tail end of Yuli's statement, preventing Anubis from saying anything to Selena. "What's going on in here?" he asked, confusion on his face as he took in Yuli's irate expression and Mia's barely-concealed mirth.

"She thinks I'm cute!" Yuli said defensively, as if being called cute was the worst thing that could happen to him.

Rowen chuckled and moved into the room. "And who wouldn't?" he joked, ruffling the boy's hair. Yuli pulled away in disgust and stuck a tongue out at the ronin's smiling face.

Mia just shook her head at the two. "What happened?" she asked Rowen. "Did Cye kick you out of the kitchen again?"

Rowen's smile disappeared. "I was not 'kicked out;' I left of my own volition. In fact I was going to – what are you doing here?" He suddenly demanded, noticing Selena for the first time.

Selena blinked, not sure at first that it was her Rowen was talking to. When he continued to stare expectantly in her direction, she waved the book in her hand. "Researching," she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Rowen folded his arms over his chest. He was clearly not happy to see Selena in the room.

"You can do that in bed. If you don't take it easy, you're going to make that wound worse. Remember what happened before?"

"I can take care of myself just fine!" Selena shot back, irritated with his insinuation. Gods, she'd had it with these guys always telling her what to do. "Why don't you – "

A warm hand on her shoulder cut her off. Its weight was gentle, supportive, and – caring? Selena felt her face flush and she was grateful that no one noticed it. She turned, wide-eyed to see determination flash across Anubis's face. He was staring Rowen down.

"Once we have finished our discussion here she will rest." The monk's voice was calm but authoritative, and held no room for further argument. "Now, you were going to ask Mia something?"

Slowly, Rowen lowered his arms but he didn't remove his gaze from Anubis. For a moment the two men stared at each other and Selena was struck with how deep their concern was – for her health and her ability to contribute to the team.

Rowen apparently found what he was looking for in the monk's gaze, because he nodded and turned away. Anubis removed his hand from Selena's shoulder and stepped back, returning to his old spot. And just like that, the tension was gone.

Running a tired hand through his hair, Rowen looked at Mia, who was still a bit apprehensive from the recent argument. He smiled in an attempt to soothe her, but it didn't work. He sighed and spoke.

"I came to see if you'd got any more information on the Jewel." He glanced behind him. "I thought I'd tell Selena, but since she's already here …" He trailed off but Mia seemed to understand what he was getting at.

"No problem," she said, trying to order her thoughts. She glanced at everyone in the room, inviting them to listen. "I haven't found much, but I'll tell you what I do know."

"Good." This came from Yuli, who had a determined look on his face. "If I'm going to guard the Jewel, I want to know everything about it."

Selena smiled at Mia's startled expression; she obviously wasn't expecting that kind of mature statement to come from the boy. She turned and saw that Anubis was smiling too, which made her grin wider. Yes, their talk had gone very well.

Collecting herself, Mia nodded and sat back in her chair. She listed the facts, ticking them off her fingers as she spoke.

"The Jewel is made of jasper; it's a common stone used for talismans, so that's not so surprising. It's also set in the shape of a magatama, which indicates its function as a protective element – something that we've seen already. We also know that it can heal, to a degree." Here Mia glanced at Selena and Anubis, the former unconsciously touching the skin the Jewel had touched. "And it has a very powerful aura. That Jewel is easily the strongest spiritual artifact I have ever seen."

Rowen frowned. "What do you mean, 'spiritual'?"

Mia hesitated, her eyes flickering to the Jewel where it rested under the lens of the scanner. "Like I said, the Jewel appears to have an aura, an energy of its own. I'm no expert, but generally speaking, the brighter an aura, the more powerful an object is. That Jewel is very bright."

"Okay," Rowen said, his voice thoughtful. "So it's powerful. Any ideas how it's supposed to help us defeat Talpa?"

"We probably won't know until we find the other two treasures," Selena offered pragmatically. "Although I don't see any harm in trying to figure out how to use the Jewel in the meantime."

Rowen looked surprised. "I thought you knew what the treasures were."

She shook her head and tapped the cover of her book. "Research," she said in a sing-song voice, which earned her a glare from the ronin.

Mia sighed audibly, loud enough to catch everyone's attention before another argument broke out. "Okay," she said, "I'll keep studying the Jewel and Selena will try to figure out what the next treasure is." She stared at the Jewel, her lips pursed in thought. "Maybe there's a connection between the two that we haven't found yet."

"I'll help!" Yuli immediately offered, his hand shooting up into the air.

"I'll stay, too," Rowen said. "Three heads are better than two, right?"

Anubis nodded. "Good," he said. "We need to find out as much as possible about the Jewel before the dynasty does."

"I thought you said that the dynasty doesn't know about the Jewel."

The room's occupants swung their heads toward the door. Ryo stood in the doorway, his arms crossed as he stared at Anubis, his gaze untrusting. Anubis faced the boy fully.

"I said that it was a possibility," the monk conceded. "From Selena's account of her fight inside the shrine, it seems that Kayura does not know what the Jewel is or that we even have it. However, I do not believe that Talpa is quite so ignorant."

"Really? Then why hasn't the dynasty attacked us? It's been long enough."

The monk favored the ronin with a grim smile. "When your enemy isn't acting, assume that they are planning. Talpa will attack. We must be prepared when he does."

Ryo studied Anubis for several moments while he thought the situation over. "Okay," he said, uncrossing his arms and walking into the room. "We'll try to figure out what this Jewel is. Mia, let me know of any new findings; Rowen, help her; I'll go tell the others." Ryo made to leave the room but stopped when he saw Selena. "And you," he said, pointing at the woman, "get some rest. We're going to need you when the dynasty shows up."

XX

It was dark, just the way she liked it. All darkness, no annoying lights or weird soldiers or that irritating ronin with the golden armor and that horrible, mocking crest – just dank, soothing darkness.

Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly as quiet as she would have liked.

"All alone, Kayura? I thought you promised Master Talpa that you wouldn't return without a ronin in tow."

Although her body remained relaxed and uncaring, Kayura's eyes flashed. "Because you've done any better, Cale?" she retorted. "I don't recall you securing Halo."

The warlord of darkness approached the woman and the shadows surrounding them grew denser and curled inward, reaching for the woman's smaller form. Kayura ignored the man's display and kept her eyes firmly trained on him, her chin locked in defiance. Cale towered over her, his bulky form practically swallowing the tiny woman.

"Don't pout, Kayura." The warlord commented. "It doesn't suit you." He grinned. "Besides, you can always try again."

She felt a snarl rise in her throat at the insult, but she managed to keep it in check. "I don't intend to try, Cale," she retorted, the insinuation clear.

"Really? Then what do you call this little side trip of yours?"

That came from Sekhmet, who, Kayura realized, must have been lurking somewhere nearby while Cale spoke to her. In turning to face the newcomer, Dais suddenly appeared upside-down, the skeleton-like mask of his kabuto inches from her face. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't stop herself from gasping – just a little.

"What's wrong, Kayura?" Dais mocked. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

She silently glared at the warlord and seethed because, whether he realized it or not, that was precisely what she'd faced. Her soul still trembled from the assault she'd endured at the shrine and she didn't like feeling weak. What the hell was that light?

_What did that girl do to me?_

Aloud, she scoffed at the warlords. "And what, in all your battles with the ronin, do any of you have to show for it? At least I was able to injure their sixth member – the one that the three of you failed to notice, even though she was under your noses the entire time!"

Dais dropped to the ground and stood upright. "Wait a minute. Not even Master Talpa knew there was a sixth ronin," he said at the same time Sekhmet exclaimed, "You injured that woman?"

Kayura looked over Dais's shoulder and addressed the warlord of Venom. "Yes, which is more than you've been able to do to your precious ronin." She gave the warlords a criticizing look. "All you've managed to do is lose the Armor of Cruelty!"

The warlords stepped towards her; ready to show her just what they were capable of when suddenly the group froze. They all felt the summons and had no choice but to answer it. With a smug look, Kayura disappeared and a few moments later, the warlords begrudgingly did the same.

XX

Talpa surveyed his servants from his seat on his dark throne. The energy from the ronin captured during the battle against him had been enough to revive his body permanently. He was draped in obsidian armor; torch-lit flames moved across its reflective surface like orange serpents and licked at his blood-red mask. He possessed no weapon; his armor's eight swords were enough. Six framed the demon's head, shoulders, and back; another two were at his knees.

Even without the eight swords decorating his person, the demon emperor was formidable. The sneering ogre on his breastplate stared at the warlords, its lips frozen in a scream of rage – not unlike that of its master's kabuto. Forged in imitation of one worn by a fallen prince, it was crowned with an image of a snarling demon, its horns extended into a mockery of a crown. Thousands had fled before its terrible visage, and if its current wearer had his way, so would thousands more.

Kayura, however, was undaunted by this terrifying image, and sunk to the ground before the demon.

"My lord," she began, not even waiting to see why Talpa had summoned them, "I have discovered critical information about the sixth ronin warrior." Kayura lifted her head so that she was looking at her master's fearsome mask. "She has the Ancients' power."

The warlords heard the demon suck in his breath and they were suddenly afraid. The Ancient was the only one to defeat Talpa, and thus was the only one the demon truly feared. If he was alive it meant that the dynasty was in great peril.

"How do you know this?" Talpa's voice was low, but Kayura dismissed the latent threat; she knew she was right.

The woman rose from the ground to face her master fully. "Her armor bears the clan's mark," she explained. Behind her, Dais scoffed.

"That could mean anything. You take one look at some obscure symbol and automatically assume this woman is fraternizing with a ghost!"

"And," Kayura continued without looking at the warlord, "she travels with a man who carries the Staff of the Ancients."

"What?" Sekhmet burst, shocked. "The Ancient One is alive?"

"I do not know if this man is the real Ancient One," Kayura was careful to point out. "But he did have the Staff."

"It may be a trick," Cale offered but he didn't look convinced.

Dais shook his head. "No. The ronin wouldn't stoop to such deception; they haven't the wit for it."

"Indeed." Talpa regarded Kayura carefully. "Where did you see this individual?"

Kayura flushed, knowing she'd been caught. She'd followed the ronin without master Talpa's knowledge or consent and she'd failed to tell him of her concerns regarding the ronin when they entered the shrine. She hoped that her information was enough to protect her from her master's wrath.

"I followed the ronin," she admitted. "The monk led them to a shrine hidden under water. I believe he was the same one who attacked me when I fought – "

Talpa cut her off, not interested in her battle with the ronin. He leaned forward in his throne, his body suddenly tense.

"Did the shrine have markings on it?"

Kayura blinked, taken aback by her master's question. "Yes," she said. "The same one as Fervor's crest: three intertwined spirals."

"Was there a necklace in the shrine? A talisman?"

"No, my lord."

Only mildly curious as to the nature of their master's questions, the warlords were extremely shocked when the demon screamed and slammed his fist against the arm of his throne, cracking the floor. The three warlords jumped back in surprise and fear, and even the normally unflappable Kayura took several steps away from Talpa.

The demon raged.

"Damn that monk!" He screamed and struck the other side of the throne. The torches along that side of the room billowed and went out in a wave. "Curse those ronin!" A large crack formed in the wall at the end of the demon's words.

Finally, one of the warlords ventured to speak, lest the irate demon bring the palace down around them.

"Master," Cale said, "what has you so concerned?" He chose the word carefully; he didn't want to enrage the demon any further.

"Fools!" Talpa raged, "That shrine contained an item that can destroy me!"

The warlords were confused; they had never heard of this.

"But I thought only the ronin could defeat you." Again the words were carefully selected.

Talpa calmed down enough to look at his subordinates, who were standing nervously in the ruined room.

"The ronin cannot defeat me; we have already seen that. But there are items that can."

Sekhmet glanced at Cale, who was frowning, and then at Talpa. "Items?"

"Yes. That despicable monk and his kind have always fought against me. But before I was able to wipe them out, they created three items that had the power to destroy me and hid them."

"But you found one," Dais pointed out.

"No," Talpa corrected. "I found them all. But the Ancients still protected them. I was unable to get their barrier."

The warlords glanced at each other uncertainly; had they heard right? Did Talpa just say that the Ancient's power was greater than his own?

Talpa didn't notice their doubtful expressions. His voice was urgent.

"If Kayura is correct, then the ronin have one of these items. They must not use it; that monk will surely show them how to unlock its power. Find them. Take the jewel and bring me that monk." The demon's voice grew dark. "I will break his staff and kill him a second time!"

Sensing that they were dismissed, Kayura and the warlords bowed and disappeared.

XX

They materialized outside the throne room. Sekhmet looked troubled and Cale thoughtful while Dais was eager to get to the ronin.

"You heard Master Talpa's orders," the warlord of Illusion said. "Let's get that monk and find out what the hell is going on!"

"Hold on," Kayura interrupted, grabbing Dais's arm. She grinned darkly. "I have an idea."

* * *

**Notes:**

_Amaterasu_ is Japan's sun goddess. She was – depending on which set of mythologies you read – created from a tear from Izanagi's left eye (Izanagi was one of two principal deities that created the Japanese gods). She is also created with making and then bestowing three gifts to her mortal descendents: individuals who would later become the forefathers of the Japanese Imperial family. One of those gifts was a magatama necklace like the one retrieved by the ronin from the Ancient's shrine. The actual magatama created by the goddess supposedly resides in the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. It stands for benevolence, and is one of three items used in imperial ascension.

Anubis doesn't know what a shopping mall is because he's technically from the 16th Century. Sources online say that he was born in 1551 (May 5, to be exact) so that would definitely pre-date the invention of the shopping center.


	20. Talpa Turns the Tide

I am SO sorry for the extreme lateness of this chapter. I started _another_ job (which brings the grand total to two), and have been having a heck of a time syncing my work schedules with writing. In fact, I only have one day off in the next two weeks (and I'm spending that day going to a board meeting. This is what you get for being an adult.). I also have to go to work in ... an hour. But I finished this monster of a chapter for you guys! Expect bi-weekly updates from now on. I'll do my best to crank these suckers out just for you!

Enjoy - this is the longest one yet at 24 pages! Woot!

* * *

_**Nineteen**_

He found her outside, doggedly going through basic jujitsu techniques in the practice ring the ronin had set up a few days before.

Anubis smiled to himself; he knew he'd find her here. Selena wasn't one to sit still and her confinement to the house had made her restless. So when she'd slipped away earlier that morning, claiming to meditate, he'd immediately understood her true intent.

He watched as she attempted to execute a roundhouse kick against an invisible enemy and he instantly saw that the attack was off balance. Apparently Selena knew it, too because she frowned, returned to the form's opening stance, and tried again. And again.

Anubis mentally shook his head, torn between being exasperated and impressed with the woman. Granted her wounds were healing, but that wouldn't last if she didn't take it easy. But he also understood her need to be active and to be prepared; despite the dynasty's curious – and frankly alarming – absence over the past few days, they would attack. He could feel it and he was sure Selena could, too.

He watched as she kicked again; noting the way her body moved, tense with concentration. Perhaps that was why she was training so hard.

Still, she wasn't improving. Anubis frowned as he watched her kick again; she was still favoring her left side. It was probably because of her injuries, but whether she was aware of it or not it had to stop; the dynasty would take advantage of such an obvious weakness.

He walked up to the edge of the practice ring, not surprised when she failed to greet him; she probably didn't even realize he was there.

"You're off-balance," he called to Selena, and almost regretted doing so when she nearly fell, startled by the unexpected comment. He couldn't stop the smile that formed on his lips when she looked in his direction; she had that affect on him. He didn't think he'd smiled as much in his many years with the dynasty as he had during the two weeks with her.

"How could you tell?" Selena asked, brushing some hair from her face as she stepped out of the ring. She was perspiring slightly and her breathing was accelerated. Anubis noticed this and handed her a bottle of water that he'd brought for her, glad for his foresight. Selena took it with a grateful "Thank you." He spoke as she drank.

"You lean too far to the left when you kick. See how you almost fell just now?"

"You startled me!" Selena exclaimed; half playful, half accusing.

Anubis smiled back, but his eyes were serious. "Even so, an enemy will take advantage of an opening like that. Don't give it to them."

Selena nodded, her face thoughtful. As she screwed the cap back on the bottle, she asked, "Want to join me?"

Anubis glanced at the practice ring and grinned when his gaze landed on a wooden staff propped up against a short railing along with several other training weapons. He looked at Selena.

"Definitely."

She followed his gaze and smiled in turn. "Thinking about getting in a little practice of your own?" she asked lightly, walking over to the railing and picking up the staff. She handed it to Anubis, who quickly tested its weight and balance. It was a bit heavier than the Ancient's staff, but it would do.

"No more than you," he replied as Selena chose a bokuto – a wooden sword in the shape of a katana. It was smaller than her odachi, but it was the only sword available; the ronin had discovered these items – along with others in less usable conditions – in Dr. Koji's possessions in the attic, and used them with Mia's permission for training and conditioning.

"Fair's fair," Selena easily shot back, referencing a previous conversation between the two of them.

Anubis grinned at the allusion. "So it is." He walked to the other side of the ring and turned, facing Selena. He held the wooden staff at his side.

As this was not a traditional fight, they skipped the customary bows.

"Ready?" he asked.

Selena flexed her fingers around the hilt of the practice sword. She nodded. "You bet."

In all of their previous encounters, Anubis had attacked first. Not so this time.

When she moved, so did he. The tips of their weapons touched and Anubis swiped at her ankles with the end of his staff. Selena, expecting a move of this kind, brought her blade low and easily parried the would-be hit.

"You can't fool me that easily, Anubis," she declared, blocking the monk once more. Their eyes met over their crossed weapons. "I know you too well."

In a flash Anubis raised the staff to block a strike to his shoulder. "And I you," he replied.

Selena raised an eyebrow in mock question. "Do you?" she grinned and pushed against Anubis's staff, forcing him to his right and to disengage the weapons. Regaining his balance, he immediately swung at Selena, but she ducked low and thrust her katana upward. The wooden blade touched Anubis's chest; a successful hit.

However, Anubis wasn't finished. He used the momentum he was already channeling into the staff to turn around and landed a blow against Selena's exposed shoulder blades. She tumbled forward, surprised by the hit, and just managed to curl into a somersault before she hit the ground.

She rolled, wincing as she got up.

"Good hit," she conceded to Anubis, who returned the compliment with a nod. She adjusted her grip on her sword. "But don't think you know me just yet!"

She shifted her weight and sprang forward, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Unconsciously Anubis tensed, anticipating her attack; he didn't know what that look meant.

She neared and he thrust his staff toward her, but she deftly hit it, moving it out of her way and raised her sword, ready to strike. Expecting a hit to the chest, Anubis was surprised when Selena sailed past him and he felt a gentle, almost playful tap against his left shoulder blade. He turned around, surprised to see Selena grinning at him.

"Gotcha."

It took him a moment to understand what she was getting at. His tone was also lighthearted as he returned her smile. "Are you conceding the match?"

Selena snorted. "Heck no. I was just evening the score."

As she dropped back into a fighting stance, Anubis frowned. Something about the way she was standing seemed off, somehow. Selena unconsciously shifted slightly and he wondered if it had anything to do with her injury.

He didn't have time to think about it too much, though as she struck again. Anubis parried and then riposted the attack. When she lunged a second time, he watched her carefully.

At first there was nothing, but as Selena transferred her balance from one foot to the other, he saw it. He stepped out of the path of the attack and checked again. Yes, she was definitely favoring her left side. Anubis sighed; didn't that woman ever listen?

Anubis resolved to teach Selena a lesson; and, if he was lucky, to end the fight as well.

In three steps he was upon her. Surprised but not displeased with his initiative, Selena quickly brought her sword up to block the staff from hitting her. Anubis pushed against her, testing her stability, and was pleasantly surprised when she pushed back.

With a yell she turned the wooden blade so that its straight edge was pressed against the upper portion of the staff and forced it back. Selena started to step away but Anubis didn't let her get far. Just as before, he slammed the staff against her, forcing Selena to bring the weapon up in a block once more.

Now Selena knew he was up to something, but she didn't know what. She bit her lip, trying to figure him out, but Anubis gave away nothing. It was when she tried to disengage herself that she gave him the opening he was looking for.

He felt her weight shift and he pushed, placing his weight against her through their combined weapons. Unable to counterbalance the force fast enough, Selena fell.

She hit the ground with a muffled 'oof,' the sword clattering from her fingertips.

"You need to watch your left side," Anubis offered by way of explanation as he helped Selena to her feet. He noticed the way she grimaced as he pulled her up and frowned. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Selena nodded and tried to hide her grimace behind a smile. It didn't work. "I've had worse," she managed. Shaking his head, Anubis chuckled and Selena felt the rumble through their still connected hands.

"You're so stubborn," he said, and there was an affectionate tone to his voice as he spoke. He lightly stroked her hand with his, tracing the small scars on the inside of her palm with his thumb. His touch was gentle, almost feather-light. Selena sucked in a surprised breath at the touch, but she didn't pull away.

Encouraged, Anubis brushed the knuckles of his free hand along the length of the scar on her cheek, remembering the day he had given it to her. Her hand spasmed in his at the touch and he squeezed back, giving her a tender smile.

"Such a spitfire," he murmured.

Selena's face was flushed and Anubis didn't think it was just from the exercise. A thrill ran through him at the look she was giving him, which quickly turned into something deeper when she brushed some of his hair away and lightly touched his matching scar.

She was hesitant at first – Anubis was pleasantly surprised by this discovery; Selena never hesitated! – but she continued at his unspoken permission. Anubis reveled in the feeling of her fingers as they danced across his skin and he found himself wishing that she would touch more. It was strange, this new feeling, but he liked it.

When Selena lifted her hand, Anubis immediately wished that she would touch him again, but she didn't. For a moment her fingers hovered next to his face, unsure what to do now, before she placed her hand awkwardly on his shoulder. Selena looked up at him and he didn't fail to notice how her gaze dropped for an instant to his mouth. He grinned and she blushed.

"Anubis, I – "

"Well. What have we here?"

The couple whipped around at the mocking tone; surprise, embarrassment, and anger flooding through them in rapid succession as their gazes landed on the person not fifteen feet away from them.

"Kayura," Anubis stated, instantly surmising that the armor-clad woman was the same one who'd twice attacked Selena and nearly drowned himself and the ronin.

The dark-haired woman cocked her head to the side and placed a finger against her chin in imitation of someone deep in thought.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

_That's right, _Anubis thought, _she doesn't know who I am._

He had never met Kayura while he was aligned with the dynasty; in fact, he had not known of her existence until her attack on the beach nearly two weeks ago. And dressed as he was in a set of light summer clothes instead of his usual monk robes, it really wasn't a surprise that the woman didn't know whom she was addressing.

"Close your eyes," Selena whispered, her breath tickling his ear. Anubis complied, but it wasn't because of what she said.

Seconds later a massive energy surge hit the area with the suddenness and intensity of an atomic bomb. Although he didn't see it, Anubis knew when the Armor of Fervor entered the world; there was no mistaking this power.

Anubis didn't waste any time, either and a second power surge rocked the training ground. When the wave subsided, Anubis was back in his monk robes. He held the Ancient's staff in his hand; its rings tinkled quietly in a light breeze.

Kayura's look of astonishment quickly turned into a sickly sweet grin.

"So _you're_ the Ancient. You're not the frail old man I expected to find." She twirled her weapons in her hands and the daggers extended into swords, the ends glinting dangerously in the mid-day sun. "I'm glad."

Kayura was a blur of dark hair and glinting steel as she leaped at Anubis. Her sword clashed against his staff for an instant before she twisted and parried the dual attack she knew was coming. She gave Selena a mocking grin.

"You're going to have to do better than that," she said, disengaging her swords from the two warriors and jumping into the air.

Kayura flipped and landed behind Anubis; only his staff and quick reflexes saved him from being severed in two.

Selena was three steps away from rejoining the fight when a large explosion nearly threw her off her feet. A fireball quickly shot into the air over the lodge, where the explosion had originated. Selena gasped, instinctively aware of her friends' distress.

"The ronin – !" Her eyes flicked back to the house and she made a movement in that direction, but suddenly stopped. She looked back at Anubis, hesitating to leave him with Kayura.

He made the decision for her. He grunted, but managed to push Kayura off of him. He slammed one end of the staff against the dark lady, and she stumbled at the contact. Anubis trained his staff on her, but spared a moment to speak to Selena.

"Go," he ordered. "They need you."

Selena indicated Kayura. "She leads with her right," she offered and Anubis nodded. He returned his full attention to Kayura, glad for the advice. He was going to need it.

XX

"So now it's just the two of us," Kayura said, picking herself off the ground. She gripped her swords and smiled darkly. "Good."

Anubis waited for her attack, the very image of calm, but inside his mind was whirling. What was going on? They knew the dynasty would attack, but they never expected one of this magnitude!

She came at him with surprising speed. Anubis jumped but the tip of her sword still managed to snag his sleeve and the material ripped. Blood welled up from where the blade had grazed against his skin. It trickled down his arm, soaking into the bindings around his forearm and hand, but Anubis was barely aware of the injury. He blocked a strike by Kayura and, as he had done earlier with Selena in the ring, struck the end of his staff against her ankles.

Kayura, unfamiliar with Anubis's fighting style, cried out as the hard wood hit her and she was knocked off her feet. Anubis quickly spun the staff so that the golden shajuko was pointed at the evil woman. She laughed.

"What do you think you're going to do with that?" she mocked, and gabbing the sword in her right hand, struck the tip of the staff and pushed with enough force to cause Anubis to lose his footing. He was forced to lower the staff to keep from falling and as he struggled to regain his balance, she moved.

He saw the blade in the corner of his eye, but was unable to move in time. Using her remaining sword, Kayura swiped it in a sharp arc over the staff and across his abdomen.

A sharp, metallic sting told Anubis that the blade had penetrated his skin and he instinctively jerked back. Kayura, however, was waiting for this reaction and removed her sword from the staff and thrust the weapon forward.

Once more, his reflexes saved him. In his retreat, Anubis twisted his upper body to the left and the would-be deadly hit missed, only cutting a small section of his abdomen rather than his chest.

At the same time he snapped the staff up to further protect himself and, to place desperately needed distance between them, he kicked Kayura square in the chest.

The woman went down and he quickly backed away. Again, he pointed the staff at her but this time made sure that he was well out of reach. What unnerved him was the look on Kayura's face: she was smiling.

"Well done, Anubis. You are a much better warrior than I gave you credit for. Although I'm afraid that the same can't be said of your friends."

Another plume of fire and smoke exploded from the other side of the lodge. Anubis turned, horrified to see what amounted to a whirling fire tornado emerge over the roof.

Anubis felt his stomach drop. "Selena!"

Behind him, Kayura chuckled. "Don't worry; I'll deal with your little girlfriend soon enough."

Anubis whipped around, prepared to fight the dark lady, but she was gone.

He stared, momentarily confused with the woman's abrupt departure, but he soon shrugged it off; the battle wasn't over yet.

XX

Rounding the corner of the lodge, Anubis was greeted with an echoing cry and a firestorm. A figure dressed in white, black, and red armor was controlling the inferno, which looked like it was generated by the strange armor itself.

Even from this distance Anubis felt the intense heat of the blaze, and for a moment he wondered if this figure was a new agent of the dynasty.

The conflagration abruptly changed course, headed, Anubis noted with alarm, toward an obviously frightened Yuli. The boy cowered only feet from the three warlords, who appeared to be merely surprised with the fire; their true focus was the boy and the jewel he protectively held.

From the other side of the yard he distantly heard Mia scream the boy's name while Selena, who was closest to him, threw herself over the boy in a desperate bid to protect him.

Anubis acted in a similar manner. He raised the Ancient's staff, intent on using it to create a shield, but he didn't have to. The blaze blew over the pair's crouched forms and engulfed the nearby warlords in a swirling torrent of flames, smoke, and scorching embers.

When the fire died down, the warlords were gone but Anubis knew better than to assume the three were dead; it would take a lot more than a blazing hellfire to destroy those three and the armor they wore.

Mia ran to Yuli and hugged the slightly trembling boy. "Thank goodness you're alright!" she exclaimed.

"They almost got the Jewel," Yuli said. He sounded disappointed in himself.

"Well, they didn't," the armored figure spoke and Anubis jolted at his voice. _Ryo?_

As one the group turned, their attention riveted on the strangely clad warrior. Anubis's eyes widened in shock as he simultaneously recognized the figure and realized that one of the ronin was missing. Ryo, Anubis realized with surprise, was the figure in the mysterious armor he'd initially mistaken as belonging to a dynasty warlord!

Ryo's armor was unlike anything he had ever seen. Looking more like the armor of the ancient samurai than the modernized battle gear they were familiar with, the teen wore black underarmor and a white cuirass and haidate (thigh guard) like that worn with the Inferno Armor. The similarities between the two armors ended there. The sode (shoulder armor) were red and white, and his kote (sleeve armor) and suneate (greaves) were white.

He wore a white outer robe with black lining above the cuirass and haidate that was marked with twin red flames below his shoulder blades. Like the rest of his armor, Ryo's helmet was tri-colored: the kabuto was white, the shikoro (nape guard) red, and crest gold.

It was different, and surprising. Where had such an armor come from?

Sage, unconsciously showing his uncertainty with the situation by crossing his arms, spoke for them all.

"What the hell is that?"

XX

"What is the Diablo Armor?"

They were on a train, headed to the Amanoiowata-jinja shrine in Takachiho, where Rowen insisted the second treasure was located. This train ride – the only one they could find on such short notice – was five hours long, and was quickly becoming the longest train ride of Selena's life, and it wasn't just because of the duration. The ronin were torn between being shocked and pleased at the discovery of another armor, this one even more powerful than Inferno. But they were also irritated that she hadn't told them – or at least warned them – about its existence.

Her protests otherwise had fallen on deaf ears. Selena sighed, choosing not to look at her temporary riding companion as she swept her gaze along the length of the car. For the most part, the ronin were sleeping, taking advantage of the long trip to rest from the recent battle and catch up on sleep: Cye and Kento were leaning against each other as they slept, while Sage used a window as a pillow. His head rocked with the movement of the train, but he didn't stir; he was out.

Mia was working on her laptop, presumably searching for information about the shrine and Rowen was occupied with a book. Yuli sat cross-legged on a seat next to Anubis, his eyebrows drawn together in tense concentration as he focused on making it to the next level on his handheld game. She watched in faint amusement as Anubis craned his neck to observe Yuli's play. He followed the movement of the characters on the screen in complete fascination.

Since their talk, the two had formed something of a bond. It was sweet and comforting to know that the young guardian had someone with whom he could share his struggles and seek out for guidance. Ryo was an excellent protector and role model for the boy, but his role as leader wasn't always conducive for helping Yuli in acting as the Jewel's custodian.

Of course, it was Ryo with whom she was seated. Selena wasn't surprised when the young man sat next to her; as leader of the ronin and bearer of the Diablo Armor, she'd expected him to come to her sooner or later.

Sooner was better, but as she continued to watch Anubis she couldn't help but wish this conversation was happening later. Or elsewhere. Or with someone else.

She finally turned to look at Ryo. He was staring back at her, an unusually hard glint in his gaze that told her he was serious. Well, she hadn't expected him to be anything else, but his stern look made her place her extraneous thoughts aside and focus on what she was sure was going to be a difficult discussion.

Still, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in slight mockery as she replied, "I thought you already knew what it was; how else could you have summoned it?"

For a brief moment, Ryo sent his gaze heavenward. It looked like he was asking the gods for patience. He probably was.

He folded his arms across his chest and sent her a leveling glare. "You know what I meant."

Selena relented, but only a little.

"The Armor of Diablo is formed when the six ronin armors merge. When you called for our armors, we willingly gave their powers to you to use. Diablo was the result of that union."

"What happened to Inferno?"

Selena shook her head. "Nothing. It's part of Diablo; it's just not the armor's complete form." She looked at Ryo and frowned. "I told you that, remember?"

"You told me that I had to accept the spirit of all the armors, not that some super armor would appear if I did!"

"You knew what happened when the five armors came together. What did you think would happen when Fervor added its power?"

"Why didn't you just tell me about the armor!" Ryo thundered.

The noise from their argument woke Sage up and several other passengers as well. Rowen looked at the pair over the top of his book and Anubis glanced from the game to Selena. He was tense, ready to intervene if necessary.

Selena waved off his concern, indicating that everything was all right.

Ryo sighed and rubbed his temples. "Look. I was barely beginning to understand Inferno and Diablo is ten times as powerful as that armor. What do you know about the armor? Please, tell me."

To the young man's discomfort, Selena smiled. It was a sad, wistful, and almost pitying smile. And Ryo didn't like at what it hinted.

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't know everything about the armors. As the bearer of Diablo's mantle, you are the only one who can know the armor: its strengths and limitations." Her grin shifted into an expression of irony. "After all, you are the only person to have worn it."

Ryo blinked; he didn't know what was more shocking: that he'd discovered the limit of Selena's knowledge or that no one else had borne the Armor of Diablo.

"What?"

Selena's grin grew wider and her eyes glistened in a way that he'd seen only a few times before; the last time had been, ironically enough, when she'd tried to get him to understand the key to unlocking Inferno's final form.

"Think about it. In all of history, there have only been five ronin armors and hence, only the Inferno armor was known. Now there are six ronin armors." She paused. "When you summoned Diablo, it was the first time that armor had ever been on Earth. You are its only wearer. And only you can discover its powers."

This is why she didn't want to have this conversation; she could not help Ryo in learning to wield an unknown, largely untried, and vastly powerful armor – at least in anything beyond its summoning – and he knew it.

"It's okay, Selena," Ryo said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I should have listened to you in the first place. I should have trusted you."

She squeezed his hand in return. "You still can."

He nodded. "I will."

"Good," she said succinctly, effectively ending the discussion. She stood up, moving out of the seat. "I'm sure you have some things to think about."

The suggestion was light, but Ryo understood her meaning. He fell into thought and she made her way over to Anubis and Yuli. The monk had Yuli's game in his hands and the boy was looking over his shoulder, giving him instructions as he tried to play. Selena smiled at the sight of Anubis trying to make sense of the game while his fingers clumsily followed Yuli's frantic commands.

She sat next to the monk and leaned over his shoulder to get a better view of the action.

"Having fun?" she asked.

Anubis glanced at her but turned back as Yuli shouted at him to shoot. Forgetting which was the 'fire' button, he pressed two simultaneously. The tiny character on the screen did a backflip, landed on a froglike creature, and exploded. Yuli groaned and Anubis handed the game back to the boy, who restarted the level with fervor.

Anubis watched the boy in amazement. "It's incredible," he said. "I've commanded armies and yet this toy keeps defeating me."

"Well, not all of us are destined to be video game champions," Selena laughed.

"No," he agreed as Yuli shouted in triumph; apparently he'd beat the game boss. "Some of us are destined to fight real monsters."

"Speaking of which, how's your arm?" She ran her fingers lightly over his sleeve as she spoke and he let her, enjoying the contact.

"I've had worse." He was teasing her, referring to her response on the practice field.

"I'm sure you have." Selena placed a finger against her chin in apparent thought. "I seem to recall an incident where you were knocked flat on your back by an incredibly cunning warrior." She cocked her head toward him. "Do you have any idea who that was?"

Anubis chuckled. "How could I forget? You swept me off my feet several times that day."

Suddenly feeling bold, she replied, "Well, then it's only fair that you do the same to me."

She slipped her hand into his. The look in his eyes was unreadable. "I believe I already have."

"Really?"

She meant it as a challenge but she didn't expect him to meet it so quickly. Anubis leaned into her, his grip on her hand firm, and lightly brushed his lips against her earlobe.

"Really," he whispered against her skin and she shuddered, unconsciously leaning into his touch.

"Hey! This isn't a honeymoon car!" an irate passenger who'd witnessed their exchange exclaimed.

"Leave them alone," another passenger, this one a middle-aged woman, shot back. "You were young once."

"I was never _that_ young," the man humped, but it was more to himself.

"Huh? Who's young? What?" That came from Kento, who'd jolted awake at the old man's exclamation. Cye, who'd been unceremoniously awakened when his head hit the back of his seat, looked just as confused.

"Are we there yet?" he asked blearily, rubbing his eyes.

Selena groaned and buried her head against Anubis's shoulder. "How much longer is this trip?"

"Three and a half hours," Yuli answered brightly. He gave the pair an odd look. "Are you guys gonna do that the whole way?"

Selena only closed her eyes and leaned against the back of her seat while Anubis laughed. This was going to be a long ride.

XX

The Amanoiwata-jinja shrine entrance, marked by a large wooden torii, loomed overhead. Beyond was the main hall, surrounded by a lush green forest. A sign indicated the way to the Cave of Amaterasu, located nearby. It was to this cave that they were headed.

"So this is where the sun goddess hid the second treasure." When no one answered, Kento looked around at his friends. "Right?"

Rowen nodded, serious. "Right."

"Okay, then let's go." Kento and Yuli started to walk under the gate, but Sage's sudden outcry stopped them.

"Wait." The two turned back and looked at the blond. He nodded at the sign pointing to the cave. "We don't know if the treasure is even in the cave. It's been several thousand years; it could have been discovered and moved."

Yuli appeared deflated at the thought, but Ryo nodded, understanding Sage's point. "I'll check with the shrine priest to see if he has any sacred objects."

"I'll come with you," Mia offered.

"Okay." Ryo looked at his friends. "You guys go ahead to the cave; we'll catch up. Come on, White Blaze."

Kento chuckled as he watched the trio leave. "Man, what I wouldn't give to see the look on the priest's face when that tiger comes through the door."

"I'm sure it will be a surprise." Anubis spoke solemnly enough, but he was smiling. Selena sighed.

"Come on," she said. "Let's find this cave."

XX

It was surprisingly easy to find. Not only were there signs pointing it out, but a shimenawa – a straw rope with white zigzag paper stripes – was wrapped around the trunk of a massive tree opposite of the cave entrance. They were definitely in sacred territory.

Selena gazed at the tree with detached fascination.

"So this must be where the gods hung the treasures to lure Amaterasu out of the cave."

At the mention of the legend, Rowen turned his attention to the tree as well. "It looks old enough," he offered, his lips curling as his gaze swept over its twisted branches and the deep grooves running through the wood. Old was an understatement; this tree was ancient.

"It looks like something from the _Wizard of Oz_." Kento crossed his arms. "It's creepy."

Anubis was confused. "Is this wizard powerful?" he asked and Cye burst into laughter. Sage raised an eyebrow in silent question while Kento snorted.

"Only if you're a munchkin," the dark haired young man replied.

"Guys, look at this!" Yuli cried. He was pointing at the stone that surrounded the entrance to the cave. The ronin headed to the boy's side, leaving Anubis unable to question Kento further. Selena put a hand on his shoulder and he looked down at her, confusion still evident on his face.

"I'll explain later," she said, although his obvious ignorance in regards to the classic fifty-year-old movie made her wonder just how long he'd been with the dynasty. He'd never mentioned it and she'd never thought to ask. But maybe, she thought, glancing at the man beside her, she should.

Her attention was redirected as the three ronin turned away from whatever was on the rock to stare at her. She blinked at their varying expressions: Sage's was accusatory; Rowen's curious; and Kento and Cye's perplexed.

"Uh, yes?"

Sage's glare deepened. "How do you explain this?" he asked, his tone demanding and slightly suspicious. He pointed at the rock face and again Selena blinked; she had no idea what he was talking about.

She stepped up to the small group, giving Rowen a confused glance as she pushed past him and Cye so she could have a better view of the stone. A soft gasp escaped her lips.

"Oh, my …"

Etched deep into the rock was a fist-sized glyph of three interlocked spirals: the symbol of the Ancient's clan. No wonder the ronin had looked at her in such a way; the triple spiral was her armor's symbol as well.

She ran her fingers over the carving, its smoothness revealing its great age and she wondered about the hand that had put it here.

"This is the Ancient's symbol," she told the others gathered behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, catching their shared looks and knew what they were thinking. If the sacred tree wasn't enough, the Ancients' symbol confirmed it: this was the cave that the sun goddess had taken refuge in thousand of years ago.

"The Ancient was here?" Anubis asked, coming to stand behind her. She felt him tense in surprise when he recognized the symbol.

Selena nodded. "Or another of his clan." She gestured to the etching. "The same glyph was on the Shrine of the Ancients." She glanced at the darkened cave entrance. "This is the place."

As a precaution the ronin summoned their subarmor. Anubis transformed as well, the Ancient's staff appearing in his hand as the monk's robes and straw hat settled on his body.

Knowing that their time was limited, the ronin turned toward the cave entrance. One by one, they stepped inside. Yuli started at their silent decision. "Wait!" he cried, running after the ronin, "Shouldn't we wait for Ryo and Mia?"

His fears vanished the moment he entered the sacred cave. It was white – not from the rock but a light that appeared to be generated by the cave itself. Every surface shone brightly and sparkled, the crystals embedded in the rock glowing in a dazzling array of colors, from hot white to deep blue-green. It was unnatural. It was incredible.

Yuli's jaw dropped.

"Wow," Yuli said, his eyes wide as he stared openmouthed at the sparkling rock walls. "This is amazing!"

The ronin were just as stunned as he was.

"Caves don't naturally glow like this, do they?" Cye asked as he, too gazed at their surroundings.

Selena shook her head. "No, they don't."

"What else would you expect from the sun goddess?" Sage replied with a smile.

"So where is this treasure supposed to be, exactly?"

Kento's question had the desired effect; remembering why they were there, Rowen frowned.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "Laozi's passage said that the second treasure was frugality." He shrugged. "That could mean anything."

"What about you, Anubis?" Cye asked the monk. "Can you sense the treasure?"

Anubis closed his eyes and for a few minutes didn't say anything. A frown grew on his face as he tried to locate the item, and when he opened his eyes he shook his head.

"The goddess's power covers that of the Ancients'. I can not sense the treasure."

"Okay then," Selena said, her voice and gaze determined. "We search for it."

XX

It wasn't long before they reached the end of the cave; for a space that had once housed a goddess it was surprisingly small. A pool of stunningly clear water marked the end of the cave – or at least the portion where they could walk. It was impossible to tell how deep the water was; crystals from the submerged rock walls caused blue-green discolorations that also distorted the pond's true depth.

Kento whistled low. "You don't think the treasure could be in there, do you?"

The group slowly leaned over rocky ledge and peered down at the water, searching for anything that didn't belong.

"I don't know," Rowen said. "Why would it be in the water?"

"Maybe it was discovered," Selena offered, although she sounded dubious.

"Do you think it was in the shrine?"

Sage shrugged. "The last one was. Ryo could have it already."

Kento sighed. "Man, we came all this way for nothing. Not that it isn't pretty, but it would've been nice to find _something_."

Suddenly Anubis stepped forward. He pointed to something in the water with his staff. "What's that?"

The group looked to where he indicated. At first they saw nothing but the softly glowing rocks at the bottom of the pond, and then something glittered – like light bouncing off a reflective surface, except it wasn't the water.

"Is that - ?"

"A mirror!" Selena exclaimed. She sounded excited, and she was. A mirror was the second gift Amaterasu had given mankind! And here was one in her own cave!

"That's it!" Rowen agreed; he had read the same legend.

Yuli hung over the water's edge, the Jewel of Life hanging from his neck just inches away from the surface as he peered at the strange submerged object. He looked doubtful.

"Are you sure that's the treasure?" He asked. "Why would someone put it in water?"

Rowen only smiled; this he had answer for. "Actually, it makes sense. Water has a reflective surface, just like mirrors do. In ancient times both mirrors and water were used to divine prophecy, to show the truth. The mirror given to man by Amaterasu was powerful because it did precisely that: it showed the absolute truth. Placing the mirror in these waters, which probably kept it safe also served as a clue to anyone seeking the mirror."

Kento raised an eyebrow at his friend's long-winded explanation. "And just what clue is that?"

Rowen returned with an equally simple look. He gestured to the pond. "The truth lies before your eyes."

"Right." Kento rolled his eyes. "Because anyone could figure that out."

"Guys," Yuli said, interrupting the pair before an argument could break out, "how are we going to get the treasure?"

A shimmer of power and colored lights answered his question. Cye, now fully dressed in the Armor of Torrent, stepped forward. He quickly gauged the distance to the mirror and dove into the water with a splash.

"Well, that answers that," Kento murmured, his eyes narrowed as he followed his friend's movement in the water. The others looked on in silence, waiting for Cye to resurface.

The minutes stretched.

Selena frowned; the water couldn't be that deep, could it? Suddenly something in the water moved, and it wasn't Cye.

"What the hell?" she heard Sage mutter. By the time he'd finished speaking the thing – it was invisible, or if it had a body it was as clear as the water around it – had reached Cye. The ronin looked around, as if he sensed the thing and then jerked erratically once. And then twice.

It was like watching the trailer to _Jaws_: Cye moved as if he were looking for the thing and swiped the area around him with his trident, but the invisible creature struck easily at the confused and clearly visible ronin. It grabbed at his boots and legs, pulling him deeper into the pond.

Selena watched with rising horror from the shore.

What the hell was going on?

She started to summon her armor, intent on jumping in to help her friend, but something flickered in the water and she paused. Selena frowned. For just a moment she'd thought she'd seen …

She whirled around in time to see the three dark warlords materialize behind the ronin. She opened her mouth in warning but was cut off as a hand covered her mouth and arms grabbed her from behind, holding her body tight. Instincts and years of training kicked in, and Selena fought against the person that held her. She hooked a foot around her attacker's leg and tried to take them down, but her captor held firm.

"You should stop struggling," Kayura's voice tinkled in her ear. "It'll only make it hurt more."

For a second fear and fury spiked in her veins, and then Kayura released her hand from Selena's mouth and jabbed an elbow into her wounded side. Pain tore through her, ripping a scream from her throat as she fought against the feeling of knives piercing her skin. Around her the ronin cried out too as their captors wasted no time in torturing the immobilized warriors. The cave amplified their screams, distorting them wildly. The noise, combined with the white-hot pain in her side made Selena's head spin. She struggled to stay conscious.

"No!" she heard Anubis yell and moments later a flash of white-gold light passed before her blurred vision …

… and was promptly deflected, the power hurtling toward the stunned monk.

There was a sickening crack, followed shortly by the jingle of the rings on the Ancient's staff, and Selena knew the monk was down. Her mind was awhirl with chaos; what had happened? How had things turned so quickly? They were all down and their only hope was Yuli –

Yuli! Selena's eyes flew open and she blinked away the dark spots that appeared in her vision as she desperately sought out the boy. If he could use the Jewel, they might be able to get out of this mess.

She found Yuli standing defiantly against one of the cave walls, not far from where Anubis was struggling back into consciousness. His eyes were closed and he clutched the Jewel of Life in his hand, muttering something frantically.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Cale warned ominously from behind Kento. Yuli opened his eyes and met the warlord glare for glare. He didn't stop chanting.

The Warlord of Corruption grinned at the boy's defiance and tightened his grip on the ronin.

"I warned you," he intoned and released his dark energy into the warrior.

Kento screamed. Selena was quick to join him as Kayura and the other warlords followed suit. The pain was incredible. Every fiber of her being felt like it was being simultaneously electrocuted and burned – from the inside. Her vision swam and those annoying black dots appeared in front of her eyes again. For a moment she blacked out, but a vicious jab from Kayura snapped her back awake.

"Don't die just yet," the woman hissed into her ear. "We're not finished."

Yuli watched, horrified as the ronin – whom he thought were invincible – were tortured in front of his very young eyes. Whether out of a desire to protect the ronin or from sheer terror, his chanting ceased.

Suddenly the assault on the ronin ended. But the pain didn't, and neither did the screams. Cale waited until the last warrior faded into silence before speaking. He looked at the boy, a satisfied and confident glint in his eyes.

"Give us the Jewel." The warlord spoke slowly, drawing out his words to frighten the child. "Or we will kill the ronin."

To emphasize his words, Cale withdrew his sword and placed the blade against Kento's chest. He cut once, and deep.

The ronin cried out and blood welled from where the sword had penetrated the orange subarmor.

"No!"

Selena wasn't sure who'd cried out – her or Yuli – but a dagger was pressed against her back in warning. She held her tongue and watched Yuli hesitate in silence, although her mind was begging the boy to not give in.

_No!_ She cried, willing the boy to hear her. She wanted to scream, but knew that if she did Kayura would wound her, and she didn't think Yuli could stand witnessing that kind of attack. And so she remained silent, hoping that the boy would keep faith. _Without the treasures the world is lost! Don't give in!_

But he could not hear her and the sight of his friends in so much pain was too much for the child to bear. Selena's heart sunk as, on shaking feet, Yuli stepped toward the warlord.

A tremendous roar rattled through the cave and startled the boy. He jumped and turned his head in the direction of the noise. It was enough.

With a burst of dark power that nearly killed the ronin, Cale tossed Kento aside and lunged at the distracted boy.

"YULI!"

Selena blanched, her own warning yell dying on her lips as her brain dully registered the voice.

_Ryo?_

Suddenly the air was electric with energy. It only took Selena a moment to recognize the source, but it was a moment too late. Water from the pool erupted in a boiling geyser, fueled by a furious torrent. Its center glowed bright blue.

It pulsed once … twice …

The force from the explosion was so strong that the impact was like hitting a concrete wall. Selena was flung sideways as the backlash from the dying geyser struck her. Only her subarmor saved her from joining Kento in oblivion, and that quickly disappeared as she summoned Fervor.

Selena transformed as she fell and as the shockwave passed she sensed the others doing the same. She hit the ground hard but with a renewed determination; in part from her armor's rejuvenating energies but mainly from revenge. Kento was injured and Cye – she'd recognized the power behind that explosion – he was beyond their help, now.

This was confirmed as she felt Ryo's call to arms. Another blinding light, another surge of power …

"No!"

She wasn't sure which ronin had said it, but it felt like the despairing cry had come from them all. She forced herself to gaze upon what she already knew she would see.

Blocking the exit, with flames and smoke still rolling off of the newly-summoned armor and an angry armored tiger at his side stood Ryo in the Inferno Armor. He looked stunned to be dressed in the white armor; confusion, quickly followed by denial and finally anger flashed across his face.

Selena's emotions echoed his. There would be no Diablo Armor to use in this battle. And the warlords knew it.

She withdrew her sword, intent on using it against Cale – the bastard – but found another warlord blocking her path. Her eyes narrowed.

Sekhmet.

She adjusted her grip on her sword and favored the warlord with a smile that could mean anything. This was going to be fun.

XX

Anubis woke with a groan and a ringing headache that he did his best to ignore as he became aware of the battles raging around him. The ronin each faced off with a warlord. They fought intensely, their movements frenzied and determined. Anubis frowned; he hadn't seen the ronin fight like this in a long time – not since he'd captured Ryo after the ronin's successful rescue of Strata.

When his eyes landed on the Inferno Armor, he understood. The dynasty had taken one of the ronin. But he didn't have time to figure out which as he caught sight of Yuli standing over an obviously injured Kento. Anubis pulled himself up, grabbed his staff, and quickly made his way over to the pair.

Yuli was terrified. His eyes kept darting from Kento to the battle raging a few yards away. He grasped the Jewel of Life in shaking hands and there were tears at the edge of his eyes.

He looked up when he heard Anubis approach and jumped back, startled. The monk laid a reassuring hand on the boy's head and looked over him to the ronin lying against the rock wall. Kento had his hand pressed against his chest, but Anubis could tell that it was more out of desperation than purpose; the boy was incredibly weak.

Kento looked at Anubis through blurred eyes.

"It hurts," the teen managed – no, pleaded.

Anubis was sure that it hurt; it was no ordinary wound. He kneeled next to the boy, gently moved Kento's hand away so he could get a better look –

- and had to hold back a gasp of shock. The laceration extended from one end of the boy's chest to the other. Anubis's eyes narrowed; he knew this handiwork. He glanced up, his eyes landing on the blade in Cale's hand. That sword had almost killed Kento once before – or so he'd been told; he'd not actually witnessed the ronin's awakening as he'd been – he glanced at Selena – busy. He clenched his teeth and returned his attention to Kento, who'd broken out in a sweat, his chest moving in shallow breaths.

Anubis frowned. The poison was already moving into his system. Dynasty blades were deadly for a reason; in this case it was the power of corruption. If they did not do something fast, the boy would be lost – either to the dynasty as the corruptive poison slowly turned him to their side, or to himself as – if he resisted – the darkness turned inward and destroyed his mind.

The blade had nearly killed him once before, and it might do so again.

A small hand on his shoulder pulled the monk from his morose thoughts. He turned and found himself looking into a pair of worried blue eyes.

"Please don't let them take Kento like they took Cye."

With the boy's words the trap became clear. Anubis saw it now; anger flared within him at not seeing it sooner. If he had, then perhaps Cye would still be with them and Kento wouldn't be injured.

He stopped those thoughts before they had a chance to take control. Kento needed help and the ronin needed to make it through this battle. What they were going to do about Cye would come later.

Anubis expelled his distracting emotions in a calming breath and gripped his staff. Selena had said that he didn't need the Jewel's powers; that the staff was strong enough. He placed the staff's head over Kento's chest and concentrated.

_I hope she's right._

XX

From the other end of the cave Kayura saw the monk bend over the injured ronin. A short time later the staff began to glow. Kayura sneered. Whether he knew it or not, that monk was interfering with their plans and she _would not_ let the ronin walk away from this battle!

Knocking Sage away from her, she deftly sheathed her daggers, pulled out an object hidden behind her back, aimed at the glowing staff and fired.

XX

Anubis pulled back in shock as something struck the staff. Its power flared and was suddenly reversed. Anubis watched in horror as the Ancient's power struck Kento, channeling into him with too much force. Kento screamed.

Quickly Anubis pulled the staff's powers back. The light faded and it stopped its assault on the boy, but still Kento screamed. Now Anubis was worried. What had caused the staff to react that way?

Before he could think too much on it, a small body was pushing itself in front of him. Anubis blinked at the tousled brown head and then moved to give Yuli some room. The boy wasted no time in placing the Jewel over Kento's heart. Closing his eyes, he murmured something and the Jewel glowed.

XX

Kayura seethed. Damn that annoying child! She'd nearly had him! She prepared to take another shot, but something stepped in her way.

"I don't think so, Kayura."

The dark lady raised an eyebrow at the green ronin.

"Protecting your friends, Halo? How sweet." She flashed the object in her hands and Sage's eyes widened as he recognized it. Kayura laughed. "You should give up now. It'll make things less … painful."

In response, Sage squared his shoulders and brought his sword up between them.

Kayura shrugged. "No? Suit yourself, then."

XX

A flash of light caught his eyes, but it wasn't from the Jewel. Anubis stepped back, looking past Sage to the woman he faced. His eyes narrowed when he saw that she wasn't holding her usual twin daggers. Instead she held something roughly the size of a small shield. It was round and had a reflective surface.

His heart clenched with realization.

_She has the mirror!_

"Kayura has the second treasure!" he shouted.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rowen and Selena jerk their heads toward the dark lady, but their opponents didn't give them an opportunity to break for it. Dais and Sekhmet renewed their attacks in earnest, and Ryo was so far engaged with Cale that he didn't acknowledge Anubis at all.

For her part, Kayura was smiling and it made his blood run cold. What did that mean?

Involuntarily, he looked at the mirror. Even from this distance he could clearly see Sage reflected in its surface. He frowned at what he saw. Sage was … glowing?

He quickly glanced at the Warrior of Light and was shocked to see that a halo was indeed visible around the ronin as he prepared to execute his main attack. It wasn't as strong as what was shown in the mirror – there, Sage was practically awash with swirling green light – but the haze was present.

To his eyes, it looked as if the mirror was showing the ronin's strength, and it was great indeed. So why was Kayura still smiling?

Anubis glanced at the mirror again and this time he noticed that something wasn't right about the light that surrounded Sage. There was a darkness to it that reminded him of …

"Sage! No!"

But it was too late. Already in the middle of his attack, it was impossible to stop. His sword crackled with electricity that burned into a searing heat as the armor's power built up.

"THUNDER BOLT – "

Suddenly Halo's power surged. Anubis caught the desperate and surprised look on Sage's face before the attack backfired in a tremendous flash of wicked hot light. Anubis turned away and clenched his teeth, bolts of electricity running over and through his body as the energy spread throughout the cave.

When it subsided, Sage was gone.

XX

Kayura cackled loudly in the suddenly still cave, the mirror in her hands. "Silly ronin. Didn't you realize that if the treasures could defeat Talpa that they could defeat you as well?"

Selena picked up her sword, which had fallen from her hands during the backlash of Sage's failed attack, and threw herself at the evil woman.

_No! Not Sage! Not another!_

"You bitch!"

She swiped at her, careful not to use her attack like she so desperately wanted to. Kayura stepped back and laughed. Selena narrowed her eyes in anger and humiliation. This bitch was going to pay for what she did.

Selena lunged low and managed to get one hit in before a terrorized cry froze her in her tracks. Yuli hung, struggling in Cale's grasp.

In the confusion after Sage's … disappearance, the boy had been left exposed and unprotected. Kento's unconscious body nearby told Selena that the ronin had probably tried to guard the boy, but his injuries prevented any effective defensive.

A second later Selena doubled over, her cry coming out as a silent choke as pain ripped through her already wounded side. She blinked, fighting back tears and vomit. Kayura's dark hair fell in front of her vision and she felt the woman's breath against her ear.

"You are weak," she sneered. "And you will not win this war."

Kayura released her and Selena fell in a heap on the cold cave floor. Distantly she heard Ryo demand Yuli's release, followed closely by the warlord's deep chuckle.

"It is not the boy we want," Cale responded ominously. He locked eyes with Anubis and pointed at the monk. "You will return to the dynasty."

Anubis started forward, his grip on the staff strong, but Cale stopped him. He yanked the Jewel of Life off of Yuli's neck and tossed it to the monk.

"Think of it as a good faith payment. You have three days to decide." The warlord looked down at Yuli, who'd stopped struggling. He grinned. "Or we keep the boy."

And, before the ronin could speak or move, the warlords and Kayura disappeared with Yuli in tow; his desperate screams echoing in the bright cave.

* * *

**Notes:**

Amaterasu is the sun goddess of Japan. One of the stories concerning her says that she grew unhappy with mankind and the way people were fighting and abusing the Earth, and so hid herself inside a cave, taking the sunlight with her. The world grew dark and cold, but Amaterasu would not come out of the cave. To trick her, the other gods placed a jeweled necklace and mirror in a tree just outside of the cave. Amaterasu, who had never seen her reflection before, saw herself in the mirror and, stunned by the beauty shown to her, came out of the cave. The gods sealed the cave so that Amaterasu could not go back in and she returned to the heavens – and the sun with her. Other versions say the mirror is a shield, which is what is on display at the Imperial Palace in Kyoto as one of the three items used in Imperial succession.

The ronin – or rather, Rowen – figured out where the second treasure was by comparing Amaterasu's story with Laozi's writings. The last line reads, "Heaven arms in pity those whom it would not see destroyed." He understood that 'Heaven' in this case referred to the gods – specifically Amaterasu, who gave mankind three gifts. Knowing that one of these gifts was a magatama necklace, just like the Jewel of Life, Rowen figured that the three treasures and Amaterasu's three gifts were one and the same. So a little research into where her cave/shrine was supposed to be and BAM! He located the second treasure – he just wasn't sure what it would be.

The reason why the cave is so bright is because the sun goddess lived there. Think of it as transferring power; the cave would not be the same once blessed by a goddess.

The second treasure is the Mirror of Truth. Just like the mirror in the legend, the treasure shows the absolute truth. Which is why Anubis was able to see that the warlords' poison had infected Sage in the mirror's reflection.

Sage glows because he is the Warrior of Light. He is in a bright cave that was blessed by the sun goddess herself so naturally his armor would be very strong there. However, it was the dynasty's poison that caused his powers to backfire on him – that, like their trickery of Cye, was part of their plan to weaken the ronin.


	21. Signs and Portents

I apologize for the prolonged delay. It was not intentional; my life has been a cluster of chaos for the past 45 days. It began in May when I came home from work and found my kitchen flooded, plateaued when my apartment became infested with bed bugs (twice), and ended (I hope) with me losing my car key in a Wal-Mart parking lot. In the rain.

So life has kept me from regularly writing, although I have been working on this chapter since May. Ugh. I have like 8 versions on my computer. That's the problem with writing in such prolonged spurts - you kinda get out of rhythm, and it took me a while to get back into things. But this chapter marks the beginning of the final haul. And in other good news, I had an idea for a sequel today (yay!). But before I work on that one, I'll finish this. I promise - no matter what insanity life throws at me.

Thanks for sticking with me. You guys rock!

* * *

_**Twenty**_

The day passed uneventfully in Tokyo; people hurried to and from work and school; tourists gawked at the ceaseless movement of cars, buses, motorcycles, and bikes and argued about what shop, shrine, or sight to visit first; businessmen made deals with their counterparts continents away; elderly residents practiced tai chi in wooded parks as younger generations chased after birds on unsteady legs, their parents not far behind. The day was fair, and the heartbeat of the city moved steadily onward.

The sun slowly sank below the skyscrapers, its rays glittering over office windows, dull steel, and neon signs that slowly blinked to life in anticipation of nightfall. People hurried home while others emerged from apartments, offices, and buses ready to greet the night. A different mood overtook the city, lively still but hushed in anticipation of the fading day.

In one final flare, sunlight burst across the city in a golden shower, dazzling those who saw it; and then it was gone. Darkness took its place.

In that first moment of night, it happened. There was a rumble, distant but strong in the sky. On the streets below people pulled out umbrellas from coats and closets; living in Japan they were well used to sudden rainstorms and so barely gave the sky a glance at the discordant noise.

The rumbling grew louder and more insistent. Most people opened their umbrellas in anticipation of a downpour, but a few paused long enough to look upward.

Those who did screamed.

Lightning forked across the sky, moving not downward but horizontally underneath the clouds. It was this, along with the frightened cries of those on the street that drew the attention of crowds as they, too chanced a glance at the sky.

Almost immediately their screams – some in wonder, most in fear – joined the others'.

An ancient palace floated upside down among the clouds directly above Tokyo Tower. The roof of the main building mirrored the tower's pointed tip, and although it was transparent – dark clouds of night were easily seen through the massive structure – the blinking red lights on Tokyo Tower reflected grimly on its gabled roof and high surrounding walls. Lightning illuminated the building, fully revealing its size to the masses below. It was huge, covering many city blocks. A shadow that did not come from the clouds covered the parts of the city that the palace touched, and a chill grew in the people's hearts.

The rumble that heralded the strange palace's arrival echoed once more above the city and its inhabitants, and this time it was revealed for what it was: laughter.

The sound soon coalesced into thundering words.

"I am Talpa!" a great voice boomed, although no source for it was visible, save the phantom palace.

"I am Emperor of the Netherrealm, Wielder of the Great Shield of Ancients, and True Master of the Ten Sacred Armors! I am your master and you will bow before me or I will sow the earth with your bones and blood!"

Fear blossomed in the hearts and minds of every mortal that heard the voice and its dark promises. A great terror seized them, but they found that though they wished to flee, they could not move; fear or some other power had taken their will.

The great voice laughed once more, and when it had faded into nothing the people found that their fear had diminished and that they could move, although none did; all stared upward at the terrible palace. They half hoped, that once the voice was gone, the palace would fade as well.

But it remained where it was with the red lights of Tokyo Tower blinking mournfully against its shadowed form in the sky.

XX

Kento was hurt and Selena wasn't much better. The monks at the shrine had done their best to patch them up, but their work had been quick as the ronin had to get back to Tokyo. And fast.

Selena idly watched people as they passed by lugging suitcases, backpacks, dufflebags, and the occasional child on their way to and from the platforms, but she really didn't see them; they registered in her consciousness only as distant sounds and a blur of colors. Her mind was elsewhere, and on many things.

They'd arrived early at the train station, eager to get back to the city. Kento's injuries and the warlords' ultimatum necessitated that they get back as soon as possible, and so they'd placed White Blaze in the animal retainment area and high-tailed it to the ticket counter. Mia was still there, trying to negotiate an early return to Tokyo. The rest of the group, weary and overwhelmed from the last battle, had gone to a waiting room, found seats, and promptly collapsed in to them.

Not one word had been said since.

The recent battle and loss of their friends weighed heavily on the ronin, and their distress showed in their stooped posture and distant eyes.

Rowen was staring intently at the television and Selena could practically see his mind working to understand this unexpected maneuver by the dynasty. Ryo was bent over, elbows on his knees, his chin resting on laced fingers as he stared unseeing at the opposite wall. Now back in his regular clothes, the guardian of Hardrock leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed and breathing ragged. Yuli's quick action with the Jewel had stopped the dynasty's poison from moving into his system, but the cut was still vicious.

And Anubis …

Of the four, Selena was the most worried about him. He sat unmoving in the chair next to her, although every so often he'd glance in Kento's direction and his fingers would clench at the Jewel of Life in his hands. Selena watched him carefully. He'd taken Yuli's loss hard, but she suspected that wasn't the only thing bothering him.

A shadow hung over his gaze and dark thoughts – or perhaps memories? – swirled behind troubled blue eyes. Horrified by the darkness she saw there, Selena grasped the hand that clung to the Jewel.

Anubis's hand jerked at her touch, but Selena did not let go. Keeping a sharp watch on him, she brushed her finger over the skin beneath his thumb in a gentle circle, trying to communicate some degree of reassurance. She continued to do this until the darkness left his eyes and the shadow lifted from his face.

"We'll get him back," she said softly, even though she was unsure how or when that would happen. "We'll get them all back."

Anubis smiled at Selena, but it was a sad smile; not the jovial grin she was used to.

"That doesn't worry me."

Selena frowned, the question, _What does?_ on the tip of her tongue when Mia ran into the room. She turned, her eyes briefly widening in surprise as she caught sight of the redhead; if possible, she looked even more worried than the ronin.

Mia was breathing hard; apparently whatever she had to say was urgent.

"Something's happened in Tokyo," she said without preamble. "All transportation into the city has been shut down."

The ronin – including Kento – sat up a little straighter at this news.

"Why?" Ryo asked. "What's going on?"

The television crackled as its current program was cut short and replaced with a news segment. A reporter, dressed in suit and tie, folded his hands together on top of his desk before speaking.

"_Continuing our coverage on this developing story in central Tokyo, the strong magnetic storm that struck last night has completely immobilized the city."_

The ronin turned to face the television, their brows furrowing in confusion and faint suspicion as their instincts told them that this wasn't a natural storm. An image on the television showed central Tokyo in almost total darkness, which Selena found eerie to look at; the city looked … unearthly without its many lights. The reporter's voice continued as the picture changed.

"_It is presumed to have a connection to the mysterious nine towered structure that appeared over the downtown area, shown here in footage taken by a tourist visiting Tokyo."_

Shaky video footage – obviously taken by a bystander on the street – briefly showed the backs of several people standing outside a group of buildings before it suddenly veered upward. At first it showed nothing more than a cloudy night sky, but then lightning flashed and Selena gasped. Fear settled deep in her stomach as the video zoomed in, magnifying a towered Ashikaga-period palace upside down in the sky; the same one that had appeared above the city several months ago, when the ronin warriors had been called forth to defend the Earth against the dynasty and its leaders.

"Oh my God …"

Shock quickly melted into anger as a voice that they all knew too well crackled on the television. But before they could make out the words, the dynasty's magic interfered with the recorder. A loud boom erupted over the speakers and the footage abruptly ended. Returning to the studio, the reporter – whose small frown of concern did not go unnoticed by the watchful ronin – covered what the video had been unable to show.

"_A message warning the city's inhabitants followed the appearance of the towered structure, given by a person or persons unknown, going by the name 'Talpa.'"_

Selena's eyes widened in surprise. He'd revealed himself? Immediately she wondered why, and for what purpose. The demon had rarely shown himself, even to the ronin, and so far had been absent from their battles with his minions. Her eyes narrowed. What was he planning?

"_If anyone has any information about this person or persons, they are encouraged to contact their local police department. Why so many strange things have occurred recently, law enforcement officials and scientists are investigating, but no one is commenting on the situation at this time. People are being advised to not enter the city, and transportation into central Tokyo has been shut down. For more information on this and other news, you can - "_

The report trailed off, put contact information on the screen, and returned to regular programming; still the ronin said nothing. They stared transfixed at the screen, each fighting back feelings of dread as they wondered if the past five minutes had actually happened. They didn't think that Talpa's announcement and the warlords' ultimatum occurred within twenty-four hours of each other was entirely a coincidence. And they didn't like what that meant.

Selena frowned, her mind whirling with the implications of Talpa's declaration. Things had just become complicated.

XX

Selena stared out the train window, her eyes on the sun as it vanished below the horizon.

_Two days_, she automatically timed.

They now had 48 hours to get back to Tokyo, come up with some plan of rescue, bargain, or resistance, and face the warlords. She hoped that they would make it, but secretly she didn't think they would.

Selena sighed, disappointed with herself for her dim thoughts, but no amount of encouragement could make her intuition believe otherwise. Rowen was right; they simply didn't have enough time.

Her thoughts drifted back to the station, when they'd discussed their next move. It had been obvious that they couldn't stay in Iowata, but getting to Tokyo seemed impossible. For, as Rowen had pointed out, even if they left immediately, there was no way they could make it to Tokyo before the three days expired. It was just too far. And Talpa's recent appearance in the city had cut off their primary means of travel.

Walking – at least from Iowata – was out of the question. Even in their best condition and with their powers, the ronin would be at most on the city's outskirts in three days' time and very likely in no condition to fight from the trip, which was little better than they were now. Kento and Selena had suffered the most from the last battle, and a trek like the one they were considering would probably kill them.

So that idea was scraped. They'd finally settled on finding transportation to a city close to Tokyo, and a brief inspection of the rail lines had them decided on Haneda. As a major city 35 miles South of Tokyo, it was their best bet to get to the megalopolis quickly.

So Mia had gone back to the ticket counter to make the changes to their fare while Ryo hurried to make sure that White Blaze got put on the right train. It had all been very harried and quick, but the lines to Haneda were still open, and even though they didn't have a plan there was no denying that sense of relief when the train jerked beneath them and rolled out of the station.

Selena watched the rail lines speed by as the train hurtled into the darkness and wondered if the ronin were putting up a front, acting hopeful despite their impossible quest. She'd done the calculations, and she was sure Rowen had, too. If everything went right – if there were no delays and they didn't get lost or misdirected – if they made it, it was going to be close.

If they made it.

Selena glanced at Anubis, and she suspected that he knew it, too. He absently fingered the jewel that was now around his neck as he, too stared out the window. Every now and then she thought she caught a glimpse of something – regret? Longing? Or perhaps contentment? – pass through his eyes as he watched the countryside roll by in shades of darkening blue, purple, and grey.

Yes, he knew that this endeavor was futile, perhaps even fatal. They all knew, in their own way.

And yet they continued on. Was it bravery? Or foolishness? Selena didn't know, but as she watched the steel tracks disappear beneath the wheels it suddenly occurred to her that ready or not, this train was bringing them to their destiny, whatever that may be.

The thought didn't comfort her much.

She tore her gaze from the window and looked about the cabin at the ronin. Their sleep was troubled, as hers was likely to be.

Selena sighed and closed her eyes, telling herself that she would need the rest for the journey ahead. That thought quickly became a mantra as she tried to drown out the voice in her head that whispered that this would be their last stand.

XX

A gentle but persistent nudge gradually dragged Selena from the darkness of her dreams and into consciousness. She stirred groggily, blinking back half-remembered visions of flashing lights, searing heat, and swirling chaos as she fought her way to the present. A sea of green with floating buttons greeted her sleep-hazed eyes and Selena stared at them, confused.

_What?_

When she felt the rumble of soft laughter against her cheek, Selena suddenly became aware that she was pressed against more than just fabric. Having an inkling of whom she was currently using as a pillow, she turned her head back and looked up.

Gentle blue eyes that shone in faint amusement gazed back down at her. Anubis smiled softly, which Selena couldn't help but return; it was the first true smile she'd seen from him in over a day.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

At the mention of sleep, the memory of her chaotic dreams returned to her. She frowned, her gaze reflecting the turmoil of silent terrors.

Still against him, Selena felt Anubis sigh. It was a weary sound. His own gaze became distant and withdrawn, and Selena saw lines in his face that in her earlier sleep-induced haze she hadn't noticed. He looked as tired as she felt, perhaps more so.

"It seems that we had nothing but troubled dreams." Anubis spoke softly, as if to himself. He glanced out the window, but saw nothing; dawn was hours off. "And the darkness grows."

He smiled at her again, but this time the gesture was wane and almost resigned. It scared her, although she could not say why.

The loudspeaker crackled, startling her. A voice announced in clipped tones that the train was approaching Haneda, and as it was the end of the line that all passengers should prepare to disembark.

She turned back to Anubis and he gave her a grim smile.

"We're here."

XX

It was time to make a decision. The train ride had forestalled it, but there was no averting it anymore. They were now in Haneda and roughly 35 miles away from Tokyo; it was time to figure out how to cover those miles.

"We could rent a car," Rowen offered, but Mia shook her head.

"No place is open right now," she said. She was right; it was still too early for most businesses to be open. "We'd have to wait several hours before the rental place opened."

"We don't have that kind of time."

"We'd need at least two cars to fit all of us, anyway," Selena pointed out. "And I didn't bring my passport."

"Then we walk." Ryo spoke in the brief silence. He looked at Selena, his gaze appraising. "Do you think you can handle it?"

The blond nodded. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but she had to try. "I'll make it," she told him.

Ryo then turned to Kento, who was sitting on a bench and leaning against the wall behind him. He looked worn out, but Ryo aked him the same question anyway. "What about you, Kento?"

The young man hesitated briefly before he, too, nodded.

That was enough for Ryo.

"Okay," he said. "Let's find some supplies and get moving."

XX

They passed through the city quickly enough using the road as a guide. It stretched north, toward Tokyo; the occasional car appeared around the bend, its headlights glaring briefly against the group's tired eyes before it drove by and out of sight. Always the cars sped toward Haneda; none came out – at least not headed north. This did not go unnoticed by the ronin. For Selena it was a grim sign; news of the dynasty's appearance was spreading, as was a growing fear. That it had reached Haneda in such a short time did not bode well.

The night fell thick around them. Selena felt as if the silence was deeper and the air heavier than it had been in the city. A storm was brewing, but whether of the Earth or other, darker forces she could not tell.

They walked for a long time; Haneda had long since disappeared from their sight, although the faint glow of the city was still visible on the horizon.

Selena quietly sucked in a breath between clenched teeth; her feet were throbbing and her side was killing her. Her feet she could deal with; that pain would go away soon enough, but her side was a concern.

Barely healed before the fight, Kayura's harsh treatment had bruised the wound and even re-opened it, and she was having a hard time keeping up with the group. So was Kento. The monks at the shrine had cured him of the dynasty's poison, but he still bore a vicious cut and the young man could only withstand so much. Even Mia, who was not used to this kind of a journey and had no armor to sustain her, was doing better than the injured pair. That said a lot about their condition, and Selena knew it would only get worse if they didn't soon stop.

Selena stumbled as she walked into Anubis, who'd suddenly come to a halt. He'd stayed near her for much of the trek, pausing every now and then to offer support to Kento, beside whom White Blaze padded.

If he'd heard her pained intake he didn't say, but suddenly he would go no further and called to Ryo to stop.

"We must rest," the monk stated firmly. To his credit, he did not look at either Selena or Kento as he spoke, but instead focused on the group. "We will not get far tomorrow otherwise."

At first Ryo hesitated. He glanced briefly north and it was clear to everyone that he wanted to continue. But one look at his injured friends made him stay. Sage and Cye were already in the dynasty's hands; he did not want to add another pair in his haste to reach the other two.

"Alright," Ryo conceded. "We'll rest. But we leave first thing in the morning. I'll take first watch."

Selena didn't care; she was too tired and too happy at the thought of sleep to object to their early departure. Ryo could have said that they were only to have an hour's rest and she would have welcomed the break, however brief.

The group quickly pulled out their sleeping gear that they'd bought from a camping store in Haneda. At the time Selena had never been more thankful for national disasters; the panic generated by Talpa's light show over Tokyo had prompted a mass raid on the store, which now remained open 24 hours to deal with – and encourage – the increased business.

Now, as she slipped her sleeping bag off of her back and unrolled it on the grass several yards from the road, her thoughts were consumed with getting to sleep. She folded her jacket up, shoved it under her head and lay down. She was out in an instant.

XX

She was warm. Still deep in sleep, she instinctively knew that it came from something more than the thickness of her sleeping bag. She stretched toward it, its comforting hand soothing her worries and she smiled, her face bathed in the welcoming warmth of the light.

Light …

Selena woke with a jolt, thinking that they had overslept, but instead of finding the sun high in the sky she was greeted by a far stranger sight.

Several feet away Anubis was bent over Kento, the Ancient's Staff against the younger man's chest. Light glowed around the Staff's head and Kento's bared skin; it was this light that had woken Selena.

She watched in fascination as the wound in Kento's chest was slowly healed, the power from the staff knitting together torn flesh and ruptured sinew. It was incredible.

Anubis worked diligently, his eyes closed as he concentrated on directing the power of the staff to purge Kento's body of the dynasty's work. And Kento … he looked content, happy even. He was upright and awake, staring at the twinkling sky with a smile.

His grin was more than welcome, for the last two days he'd been in incredible pain, and it seemed that his suffering was at an end.

The light from the staff faded and Anubis sat back, giving Selena an excellent view of Kento's chest. Other than a thin white scar, no trace of the wound could be seen. He was healed.

Anubis slowly got to his feet. He looked exhausted, but straightened when he saw Selena looking at him. She pretended not to notice.

"Anubis, I – " Suddenly overwhelmed with what she had just witnessed, Selena couldn't find the words to express her gratitude. "Thank you."

The monk nodded and then fixed his gaze on her. His fingers flexed and tightened around the body of the staff, expressing his unease and suddenly Selena got the feeling that she wasn't going to like what he had to say.

"And you?"

At first Selena was confused, but then his eyes shifted to her abdomen and she knew.

"I'm – "

He cut her off before the excuse was fully formed on her lips.

"No, Selena. You're not fine."

She opened her mouth to protest, but again he silenced her.

"You've tried to hide it, but don't think that I haven't noticed. You're hurt." Looking at her, his voice softened. "Let me help you."

Selena felt her ire at his interruptions evaporating with his admission. But that didn't mean that she agreed with him.

"I am not the only one who's hurt," she said, touching his arm and feeling the bandages underneath his sleeve. "You're tired, and it's dangerous to use the staff so soon after healing Kento. We can wait until later, when we've had more time to rest."

Her attempts at persuasion failed. "I am tired," Anubis acknowledged. "Sleep will cure me of that, but sleep will not mend your wound." He smiled at Selena's frowning face and brought the staff into her view. He leaned closer to her. "You see, my little spitfire, I can be as stubborn as you."

Selena didn't say anything, although a ghost of a smile graced her lips. She looked at the staff and then at Anubis.

"Okay," she said. "You win. But don't take too long."

"Why?" Anubis chuckled, leaning over her. "Do you think it will hurt?"

"I'm more worried that it'll hurt you."

Her quiet words struck him to the core; not in a long time – a _very_ long time – had anyone showed that much concern for him. He swallowed to wet his suddenly dry throat.

"I'll be fine," Anubis said and smiled at Selena's short laugh. "Now if you'll lift up your shirt; I'll need direct contact with the wound."

Selena nodded although with his head bent over her stomach he didn't see it. She gingerly pulled back her shirt, going slow so as to not irritate the sensitive skin.

Anubis's gaze was dark as he took in her injury; he clearly was not happy with what he saw. He shifted so that he had enough room to move with the staff, and placed the head against the wound.

Selena shivered when the cold metal touched her, and then again when Anubis laid his free hand on her stomach to the left of the wound.

"Just relax," Anubis told her. Barely had the words left his mouth when the staff began to glow.

Immediately warmth flooded Selena; her entire body felt like it was being soaked in sunshine, and no place was it stronger than in her abdomen. Selena smiled. Is this what Kento had felt? No wonder he'd looked so happy!

Selena didn't know how long it took, but suddenly the light was gone, although the warmth lingered. She looked down at her abdomen and nearly cried when she saw smooth skin, her fingers finding only a small scar where the stab wound had been.

"There," Anubis said, his voice gravelly with exhaustion. "You're healed."

Selena whipped her head up at the fatigue she detected and gasped. He looked like he hadn't slept in days and his hands were shaking.

"Why did you do that?" She demanded, pressing his hands between her own in an effort to stop their shaking. "I told you not to use too much energy."

Anubis shook his head, although he did not deny her words. "You will be needed in the battle with Talpa."

"And you won't?"

He didn't respond. Fear spiked through her veins as the last of the Staff's warmth faded completely, and Selena grabbed Anubis and forced him to look at her.

"Anubis?"

He didn't answer; he only gave her a pitying, anguished look.

And that scared the hell out of her.

XX

They walked in silence, only speaking to discuss directions as they wandered the twisting concrete highways to Tokyo. Despite being newly healed, Selena walked with an uneasy heart as her mind turned anxiously to an unknown future.

The road was completely deserted; they hadn't seen a car in miles, and although they were still far from the city the area was quiet – even the birds made no noise. The silence of the Earth was disturbing; only White Blaze appeared to be unaffected by the eerie stillness of the highway.

Selena shivered. What she wouldn't give to hear the steady rumble of an engine, or even the distinctive onrush of air that marked the approach of a vehicle – anything to make the road seem less … alien.

Anubis's silence worried her almost as much as that of the road. He had really frightened her earlier, and she was not easily alarmed. Selena glanced at the man who walked just a pace ahead of her, his long red hair gleaming in the afternoon sun. Although he hadn't said anything, he fingered the Jewel often and that gave her an idea as to what was bothering him.

The warlords had said that they didn't want the Jewel of Life, but she didn't believe that for a moment. It was one of the three sacred treasures; they should want it for its power alone. But why they wanted Anubis – or at least claimed to – stumped her.

Perhaps their demand for the monk was a lie, a ruse in some as-yet-to-be-revealed elaborate plot to recapture the Jewel and some more ronin as well.

Then again, Cale had seemed awfully serious when he issued his ultimatum …

Selena rubbed her temple as her head began to ache. This was getting her nowhere. She sighed and gazed at their forlorn surroundings. _They_ were getting nowhere. All of her postulating would be for nothing if they didn't make it to Tokyo on time.

She craned her neck to read a road sign hanging overhead. In large white letters it indicated that the city was at least 30 miles away.

Selena sighed and picked up her pace. They had a long way to go.

XX

Selena leaned her head back against a tree with a groan. It was night and she was exhausted, but it wasn't just from the long march. She was tired of worrying about an unseen future; and mentally exhausted from trying to figure out what to do about the warlords.

It was really hard to plan a counter-attack when you had no idea how your enemies would strike. But they sure as hell knew _when_ they would strike.

Selena craned her neck and gazed at the stars twinkling through the swaying leaves.

_One day._

It wasn't enough, and yet it was all they had.

Selena sighed, her heart and hopes heavy. She knew that the hazards and perils were drawing together to a point: for better or ill, tomorrow would be the final trek before they faced the dynasty once more; the last leap.

She looked over at the ronin, weary with exhaustion – even White Blaze was tired, and poor Mia looked ready to collapse – and she felt her hopes dim. They still had 20 miles to cover tomorrow before they reached downtown and they would be in worse condition than they were now.

In short, they weren't ready to face Talpa, not by a long shot.

She suspected the warlords knew it, too, the bastards.

Selena closed her eyes, suddenly very tired.

"Hey." She opened her eyes to see Kento standing in front of her. He jerked his head toward the fire, around which the rest of the group was gathered, indicating that she should join them. "We're going to talk."

Selena nodded and followed him back. Good. They had a lot to talk about.

She sat down, Kento beside her and looked expectantly at the worn faces around her. When he sensed that he had everyone's attention, Ryo began.

"Okay," he said, "we know that we have one day left to get to the city. Rowen," the blue-haired ronin looked up at his name, "how early can we get there?"

The guardian of Strata thought for a moment. "If we push hard, we'll reach Shinjuku by late afternoon or early evening. That should give us two hours, maybe more, before the warlords arrive."

Ryo nodded. "Okay." He looked around at the group, his eyes shining from the fire. "The warlords are expecting us to wait for them, but I don't like the idea of hanging around." He grinned suddenly. "I figured we can give them a little surprise."

Kento sat up and Selena noticed that he wore a grin as large as Ryo's. She looked between the two ronin, wondering what she'd missed.

"You mean head them off," Kento said. It wasn't a question.

The bearer of Wildfire nodded. "We'll have the advantage, if briefly."

Kento laughed and slapped his knee. "Man I can't wait to see the look on Cale's face when we show up. Plus," his gaze suddenly darkened, "I owe him for what he did to my armor."

Selena stared flatly at the two.

"You can't be serious."

"What?" Mia asked; her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at each ronin for an explanation. "What are you going to do?"

Rowen answered for the group.

"We're going to enter the dynasty."

"Wait," Selena protested, ignoring both Mia and Anubis's stunned expressions. "We don't even know what the warlords are planning."

Ryo turned to her. "We know that they're after Anubis. So we won't let them have him."

The man in question, who'd remained silent up to now, suddenly spoke. He shook his head at Ryo's declaration. "It won't work."

"Why? Do you know what they're going to do?"

Anubis hesitated a fraction too long, and Selena picked up on the pause. She looked at the monk, her gaze keen as he spoke. "No."

Aha! Selena knew it was a lie, but didn't say anything, wondering what Anubis had planned. Not noticing the way her eyes were shining, he continued to speak.

"But you cannot enter the dynasty without my help."

Rowen leaned forward and tapped a finger against his chin. "We could use his help once we're in," he said to the group. "After all, he does know the place."

"But what about Mia?" This came from Kento, who'd understood Ryo's intent: to leave Anubis behind – both for his protection and as a guardian for Mia. If they were going into Talpa's realm, he didn't want Mia left alone.

Mia didn't look too happy that she was being discussed like she wasn't there. "What?" the woman protested. "I thought I was coming with you."

Kento shook his head. "Sorry, Mia but it's too dangerous."

"Besides, we need you to find the third treasure."

Mia gave Selena a hurt look; of those gathered she'd expected a bit more support from the other woman. But Selena agreed with her fellow warriors.

"The dynasty possesses the Mirror. We need to get the third treasure before they do," she explained. "We can't defeat Talpa without it."

The redhead still didn't look pleased at the prospect of being left behind. She'd been with the ronin for nearly every aspect of their journey thus far, and even though she held no sacred armor she still felt like part of the group. She hated the thought of being discarded, no matter for how short a time. And she really didn't want to be alone.

As if reading her thoughts, Ryo said, "You won't be totally alone." He glanced at where White Blaze lay sleeping. "White Blaze will take care of you."

"And Yuli will be back soon, too," Rowen added.

Mia looked a little happier at that prospect. She could endure their absence – and worry about their wellbeing – as long as she wasn't alone.

"Okay," she said. "I'll start going through my files as soon as I get back. With any luck, I'll have the treasure located before you return."

Selena smiled; Mia was taking this better than she would have. "The university has a lot on Amaterasu in their mythology section," she volunteered. Any information could help. "You might want to check it out. Plus, the school's a lot closer than the compound."

The other woman smiled gratefully at Selena and reached into her bag for paper and pen to jot down some notes. While she was doing this, Ryo spoke.

"So it's settled." Ryo looked around at the tired but determined faces around him and he was suddenly glad. Things would be serious, but it was comforting to know that though they might struggle, they would not yield.

"Get some rest," he told them. "Tomorrow we face the dynasty."

XX

Later that night, after the ronin had long since gone to sleep, Selena suddenly sat up in her sleeping bag. Something had awakened her. She surveyed her surroundings, skimming over the prone forms of her friends. Her anxiety dropped a notch when she saw that White Blaze was fast asleep; at least whatever had caused her to wake up wasn't a threat.

A shadow moved across the trees and Selena turned so that she was facing the still smoldering fire. She relaxed almost immediately.

_Anubis._

Quietly getting up so as not to disturb anyone, Selena shrugged on her jacket and joined the monk by the fire.

He was hunched over, poking the hot embers this way and that with a stick, gently encouraging them into a blaze. Selena watched quietly and waited for him to speak. It did not take long.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

She watched as he drug the stick back and forth through the ashes. She didn't reply directly.

"They want you both, don't they?" She asked quietly, her gaze resting briefly on the Jewel hanging from his neck.

His silence was answer enough.

Selena sighed and sat next to Anubis on the fallen log, close enough that their arms and knees brushed. "Why?"

He hesitated only slightly before speaking. "Because I'm the Ancient."

She knew instinctively that he wasn't telling her everything, but let it go for the moment. Her hand found his, her palm easily sliding against his larger one. Their fingers entwined.

"You don't have to go back."

If he was surprised that she'd found him out, he didn't show it.

"I know." His voice was soft but deep. "But I must."

He sounded reluctant, almost resigned. Selena understood that, to an extent. From her own brief time there she knew that the dynasty was not exactly a happy place. But there was something in the way he spoke that betrayed an aversion that went much deeper then he was showing. She spoke softly, so as not to appear demanding.

"Anubis, what happened to you in the dynasty?"

His hand clenched hers as painful memories played behind closed eyes. Selena didn't expect him to answer; after his reaction she almost didn't want him to, but before she could say otherwise he released a deep breath and spoke.

"The dynasty is a dark place," he said, staring at the remnants of the fire. He spoke with great effort, as if it pained him just to think of his service in Talpa's evil halls. It probably did. "It wears on you, and makes you forget all that you have ever loved or cherished until nothing remains but hatred and a never ending malice for all living things."

She didn't think he was aware of it, but his grip on her hand was tight – almost bruising. She was beginning to regret ever asking him about the dynasty, but he wouldn't stop.

"It's like dying, in a way," he murmured. He turned her hand over in his and traced the scars there as he spoke. "You're stripped of everything you know until you become nothing but a shell." He cupped her palm. "Empty …" His last words were almost whispered. " … and lost."

Selena stared at Anubis, horrified. "I'm sorry."

What she apologized for she couldn't quite pinpoint: for what he endured as the Warlord of Cruelty; for asking the question in the first place; for the dark days ahead; and for being unable to say that things would be all right.

Anubis nodded, accepting without words her apology.

"It is not a place that I wish to return to," he admitted. He looked at her then and smiled wistfully. "But we don't always get what we want." His gaze was full of regret and – she was surprised and pleased to see – desire.

Doing her best to ignore the sudden pounding in her ears, Selena relaced their fingers, leaned in close and gently brushed her lips against his.

"Sometimes we do," she returned.

Selena was only aware of Anubis's hand clenching in hers and his brief, searching gaze before he claimed her mouth with his own.

She reeled from the passion behind the kiss. His arms wrapped around her, one hand cradling her neck while the other rested on the small of her back. She dug into his shoulder blades, pressing him against her as her fingers tangled in his hair. The feel of his body, his hands and lips was incredible. Anubis kissed her again and electricity shot through her to her very core. How long had he wanted to do this? How long had _she_ wanted this? Selena didn't know and she didn't care.

When they pulled apart they were both flushed. Selena found, to her surprise, that she didn't know what to say. Anubis, however, wasn't so tongue-tied.

He looked down at Selena and smiled.

"You're right," he said, his hands resting on her hips. He lightly kissed her once more. "Sometimes we do get what we want."

XX

The high-pitched yells ended the moment she shut the heavy door behind her. Kayura sighed.

_Finally._

That damn kid – Yuy or Yuki or whatever the hell his name was – would not _shut up_. He'd been carrying on about the ronin for nearly two days now, and despite the warlords' threats, despite that he was being held captive in the cells of the demon world, the kid would not cease in his stout belief that the ronin were going to save him and, as he so eloquently put it, "kick their demon goon butts" in the process.

The kid simply didn't get it; he'd been captured _for a reason_, and it wasn't to scream idle threats at men who possessed more power than he or those stupid ronin that he defended so diligently could possibly imagine.

She caressed the object in her hand, her fingers sliding across its smooth surface. The Mirror of Truth. She turned it over and gazed for a moment at its bronze covering, spotted with rust. It was amazing that such a small, ugly thing held within it the power to destroy someone as powerful as Talpa. And if it held that kind of power, then it could be used to destroy other things as well.

The sound of metal clanking against metal, followed closely by a muffled voice reached her ears. Kayura looked up from her inspection of the Mirror.

In the center of the room, above a long, dark pit hung the two captured ronin. Their wrists, ankles, and waists were bound to a large stake that reached from the ceiling to the bottom of the tower, and their mouths were gagged. They were on opposite sides of the stake and so could not see each other.

Kayura, however, could see them clearly. She smiled sweetly at the one who'd yelled at her – or tried to.

"Don't worry, Halo. Your friends will join you soon enough." She caressed the Mirror in her hands and laughed. "Very soon."

XX

The final day of their journey passed more quickly than they expected and before the ronin knew it, they were in central Tokyo. They were tired, dirty, and nervous, but they had made it.

Mia stood to the side with White Blaze as the ronin gathered together. At some unspoken agreement, they shed their street clothes and in a flash stood in their colorful subarmor. Even Anubis had transformed and now wore the robes of the Ancient, his golden staff in hand.

They formed a circle around the monk, as per their discussion, and waited.

He slipped the Jewel of Life from around his neck and held the tiny gem in his hand, but before he could summon its powers Selena suddenly broke rank and joined him in the center.

Anubis raised an eyebrow at her in question, but despite his calm demeanor she could see that he was nervous. She ignored the Jewel and looked up at him, speaking so that only he could hear her. Her gaze was serious.

"You know that this is a trap, right?"

Anubis nodded, equally solemn. "Yes."

Selena searched his face for a moment and then slipped her hand into his, not caring if the ronin saw.

"Then let's go."

From between their combined hands the Jewel glowed, its light spreading out until it had engulfed the small group.

Mia shielded her eyes and when she looked again, the ronin were gone.


	22. The Gateway of the Dynasty

**Hey all! Sorry for the long absence ... again. Working six days a week is sucking my will to write (because all I want to do is sleep). But I'm taking a vacation to get my groove back. I'm headed to Hawaii (hell yeah!) for a week. I can't wait! I just have to get through this weekend first ...**

* * *

_**Twenty One**_

The light retreated, the Jewel grew cool, and Selena opened her eyes.

They were in a courtyard before which stood a high wall, and just beyond it Selena could make out the tops of watch towers that sat on other walls, homes to soldiers that kept sharp surveillance over the gates that led to Talpa's inner stronghold.

They were just within the boundaries of the dynasty's outer citadel, one of seven that made up Talpa's compound. During their last march to the city, Anubis had informed them about the castle grounds: the citadels were separated from each other by moats and stone walls upon which sat guard towers and defense houses, and were further protected by a confusing system of bridges and an ancient practice that placed the citadel gates at staggered intervals – a tried and true tactic to confuse and confine invaders.

It wasn't going to be easy to reach Yuli, Sage, and Cye, but Selena hadn't expected it to be.

She automatically scanned the area for exits, escape routes, and weapons. The outer wall appeared to stretch on forever, disappearing into dark alleyways that Selena didn't quite trust. She frowned, judging a small shrine's height and distance from the great wall. It would do in a bind, if they suddenly found all their other exits cut off, but it would leave them exposed to archers and God knew what else. Their only real options were to head toward the inner citadel, which was inevitable, or the outer gate, which was –

Selena's thoughts came to a jarring halt as she caught sight of the land beyond the still open gate.

Brightly blooming flowers lay as far as she could see in a vast field, their cheerful colors stretching endlessly against a shimmering golden river and a deep blue sky.

Selena stared, shocked, mesmerized, and confused. _This_ belonged to the dynasty?

Kento echoed her thoughts precisely.

"This place looks like the inside of a Happy Meal."

Turning from her side, Anubis saw what held the ronin in such awe.

"Yes, it is beautiful," he acknowledged. "But even a rose has thorns."

His words had the desired effect. Reminded that they stood in Talpa's territory, the ronin's body language changed, expressing their readiness to fight.

Ryo looked at Anubis. "What do you need us to do?"

Selena admired how easily the teen deferred to the monk; good leaders knew their limitations and relied on the expertise of others. This was Anubis's territory, and they were going to need his guidance to make it through.

Anubis surveyed the empty courtyard once before returning his attention to the ronin. "Position yourselves as we planned. I will call the warlords and see if they will uphold their end of the bargain."

"And if they don't?" This came from Rowen.

"If Yuli is not with them, he will be kept in the dungeons, beyond the first three gates." He pointed with his staff and the ronin followed his movements. "I will try to reach him, but if I am unable you must go that way. The first gate is straight, the second on the right, and the third 90 degrees beyond a bridge. Do you understand?"

The ronin nodded.

"Good. Then go; we do not have much time."

The ronin left – all except Selena, who had a different role in the upcoming meeting with the warlords. She turned to Anubis, keeping one eye on the desolate courtyard as she spoke.

"Anubis, is it normal for this place to be this empty?"

Placing the Jewel around his neck, the monk looked up. He frowned.

"No," he said. "It is not." His gaze narrowed but he managed a small smile at Selena as he spoke. "Let's spring the trap, shall we?"

Stepping back, Anubis raised the Ancient's staff above his head and in one swift move slammed the tip against the ground. A brilliant white light shot straight from its golden head and high into the sky.

As if that wasn't enough to catch the dynasty's attention, Anubis allowed some of the Ancient's vast power to be released. It washed over Selena and the dynasty like a dammed river breaking. It was a breathtaking act of defiance.

It didn't take long for the dynasty to respond. A frigid wind burst over the courtyard with such strength that the pair was forced to shield themselves from its onslaught. A high-pitched howl swept across the courtyard and Selena shivered, her muscles locking in fear.

_What the hell is that?_

Anubis, however, was undeterred. Using the staff for support, he stood upright and issued challenge to the wind.

"Cale! Show yourself! I know it's you!"

Abruptly the wind died, and in the middle of the courtyard stood the Warlord of Corruption. The Warlords of Venom and Illusion flanked him on the left and right.

Immediately Selena noticed three things: the warlords were blocking their means of escape, Yuli was not with them, and they were smiling.

"How nice to see you again, Anubis."

The red-haired monk didn't waste time with pleasantries. "Where is the boy?"

Cale smiled. "Somewhere safe. For now."

Anubis didn't like the uncertainty in that statement. "He is unharmed?"

"That wasn't part of the deal."

Selena peered at the warlord keenly, suddenly alert. She detected a slight change of pitch in the man's voice; saw through the deception.

"He's lying; Yuli is okay."

The three warlords turned to her, acknowledging her presence for the first time. Cale favored her with a sour smile, looking as if he'd swallowed something unpleasant.

"Are you sure about that, Fervor?" He all but growled her title.

Suddenly uneasy, Selena didn't reply. Anubis, however, wasn't about to be cowed by his former subordinate.

"What do you mean?"

Dais's sinister voice rang across the suddenly silent courtyard.

"The deal is off, Anubis."

The monk stepped forward, shocked.

"Why?" he demanded, his hand around the staff shaking as he fought to contain his anger. "I have done all that you asked – I am here, and I have the Jewel!" To emphasize his point, Anubis grasped the chain around his neck and held the tiny magatama aloft.

Sekhmet shook his head. "You brought company."

Dais and Cale carefully moved into guarded positions. Seeing this, Selena shot back, "You never said he had to be alone."

As she spoke the code phrase, the ronin attacked. Dressed in full armor they leaped from their hiding places and fell upon the warlords. Selena saw the dirt foundation at the trio's feet disintegrate under Hardrock's command while Ryo focused his strength on Cale. There was a flash that was Rowen's arrow and she felt Anubis's power surge. This occurred all in the space of a moment and, her job finished for the moment, Selena called for her armor.

By the time her armor settled on her body, the warlords were recovered from the ronins' initial onslaught and were fighting back. She ripped her odachi from its place on her back and lunged with the massive blade, intent on joining her friends in battle, but was stopped as a heavy body slammed into her.

Her teeth rattling from the impact, Selena reflexively blocked a blow aimed for her chest and glared into the face of her attacker. Cale grinned down at her and Selena slipped, nearly losing her balance in her surprise. The warlord's smile only grew and he leaned into her, pushing against her blade with his own.

"You thought you could fool us," he mocked. "But it is you who have been deceived."

Selena frowned as an icy fear formed in her gut, hearing the truth in his words. What did he mean? But the warlord only continued to grin and, summoning his strength, shoved her hard.

She stumbled back, only then becoming aware that the sounds of battle were too loud for a group of eight. She risked a glance away from Cale and her blood ran cold.

Standing around the courtyard and filling the guard towers and walkways on the wall were hundred of dynasty soldiers, all poised to fight.

For a moment Selena refused to believe what she was seeing. How had they got there? But then she saw Dais and she knew.

_An illusion._

So this was the trap; they'd literally walked right into it. And now they were outnumbered ten to one, and completely surrounded.

Selena turned back to Cale and, swallowing her dread, lunged. Their swords met but all she heard was the warlord's laughter as the dynasty's soldiers overtook them.

XX

Deafening thunder crashed over the university library, making the building's foundations shake. Mia jumped and dropped the book she'd been reading, which earned her a few glares from nearby patrons. Mumbling an apology, she bent to retrieve the fallen book and walked to the nearest window.

Students, professors, and visitors hurried to escape the unexpected downpour, but Mia took no notice of them; her gaze was focused on Talpa's castle in the sky above the city. Brilliant flashes shot intermittently from the stronghold and though they looked like lightning, she knew that they were not.

She pressed the book in her hands against her chest, her fingers gripping the edges tight as she watched the hidden battle unfold.

_Hold on, guys, _she prayed, her blue eyes filled with worry. _Hold on._

XX

Selena grunted as she heaved two soldiers off of her and turned, just barely avoiding a vicious strike from Cale. Aimed for her breastplate, only her quick movements saved her and the blow struck her hip instead. Thanking the high heavens for her armor, Selena thrust low, a move that forced the warlord to take several steps back to avoid the sharp length of her blade.

Seeing several more soldiers approaching out of the corner of her eye, Selena cursed in frustration. How in hell was she supposed to fight Cale with these guys around?

Quickly adjusting her footwork, Selena slashed one soldier from shoulder to thigh, spun and severed an approaching pair's heads from their necks. She then turned her attention to a fourth and fifth and her eyes suddenly widened and she ducked – just as Kento flew overhead.

From somewhere on the battlefield she heard Ryo yell his friend's name – a cry that was abruptly cut off.

Fear for Ryo propelled her deeper into the fray, but she hadn't gone far when it was her turn to cry out – this time in pain as her arm erupted in fire.

She fought against the instinct to drop her weapon and forced her arm to extend in an arc as she turned, swiping at her attacker.

To her surprise, it wasn't Cale – or any of the warlords – that stood before her, but an ordinary dynasty soldier. He held a lance in his hands, its tip marked red with her blood. Selena stared, momentarily astounded. How had a simple dynasty weapon managed to get beneath her armor?

She shifted her weight to attack – and then froze when her arm, the arm that held her sword – refused to move. It was numb, and it was spreading.

_What?_ She thought, confused. She didn't have much time to contemplate it as her legs suddenly gave out and she fell to the ground. Distantly she heard her sword clatter as it fell from unfeeling fingers but it wasn't until her cheek was pressed against the dirt and she could no longer feel her body that Selena realized why: she was paralyzed.

XX

"Selena!"

Anubis turned as he heard the urgency in Rowen's yell, his adrenaline spiking as the many things that could have happened to the woman flashed through his mind, but he couldn't see her.

He withdrew his staff from the soldier impaled on it with a grunt, not bothering to pay attention to its spirit as it escaped from the gaping hole in its chest. Intent on reaching Selena, he didn't see the spider-like figure appear behind him and launch two of its hooked kama at him.

Something – instinct or otherwise – warned Anubis of his impending danger and he leaped aside. The first blade tore harmlessly through his robes, ripping the sleeves of his koromo and kimono while the other landed true. It hooked around the monk's right leg, the tip of the blade just nicking the underside of his knee as the weapon was pulled.

Anubis stumbled and only his staff saved him from falling. Kicking the irritating weapon free, he glared at his attacker.

Dais calmly recalled his weapons and smirked at his former commander. He gestured in the direction where the monk's companion had fallen.

"I don't think so, Anubis. She's ours now."

The redhead's eyes widened briefly and then narrowed. "No. I don't believe it."

Dais did something like a shrug. "Believe what you want, but the girl is ours." He grinned. "I am sure Master Talpa will be glad to add her to his collection."

Anubis knew that the warlord was trying to goad him, and he had to remind himself that Selena was a strong and capable warrior, and she could take care of herself. Besides, if anything serious had happened to either her or her armor, he would have felt it.

Armed with this knowledge, Anubis refused to rise to the dynasty's bait.

"You're wrong, Dais; it is you and the other warlords who are being put on display."

The white-haired man sneered. "Enough with your lies, traitor. Now fight!"

The warlord flew at him but Anubis, well acquainted with the man's fighting style, automatically thrust his staff to block the blow he knew was coming. The kama went flying but it was followed by a spiked ball that nearly took the monk's head off. Anubis ducked, this time to avoid another narrowly missed strike by one of the warlord's curved blades and retreated several steps back in an attempt to put some distance between them.

But Dais wouldn't allow it. He came after Anubis doggedly, forcing the monk on the defensive as he frantically fought one vicious blow after another.

Anubis frowned; Dais was fighting with a fury that he did not remember. What had gotten into the man? Was he truly seeking to destroy him? He certainly fought like it.

Their contest was fierce; they moved about the battlefield like two men possessed, unaware of anything save the other. Anubis was so focused on deflecting blows from his opponent that it never occurred to him to question why no soldiers were attacking him until it was too late.

Finally seeing an opening in Dais's near-relentless attacks, Anubis crouched low and thrust upward, aiming for the warlord's chin but was himself caught off guard by a well-aimed strike to his midsection – in precisely the same place that Cale had stabbed him, months ago.

Anubis gasped as the wind was knocked out of him and crumpled to the ground. One arm cradling his side he looked up, belatedly noticing that the sounds of battle were muted, as if they came from a great distance. He also saw that he and Dais were no longer alone.

A green armored hand gripped one sword while slanted eyes gazed at the fallen monk in loathing. Anubis gazed back at the man who had once been his strategist, the steady brains behind the dynasty's many conquests. His eyes slid to the swords on the man's back, the five hilts shining in the dynasty's muted but golden sun, and wondered if he was to be next.

For he was trapped – Dais's attacks had served one purpose, he now realized: to isolate him from assistance – and he and Sekhmet were obviously waiting for something before they continued with whatever it was they had planned.

And he had a pretty good idea _who_ they waited for.

Deep, ringing laughter confirmed his thoughts and Anubis shifted so that he could see the newcomer.

Emerging from the shadows of Talpa's wall, Cale looked at Anubis with a predatory gleam in his eyes. He grinned at the surrounded monk.

"Hello, Anubis."

XX

Inside the castle, Kayura kneeled in her master's chambers, waiting for the demon emperor to appear. She turned the Mirror of Truth over in her hands and toyed with the idea of using it to watch the battle that was surely unfolding between the warlords and the ronin brats. But even as her fingers ghosted over its glossy surface she pulled away. Master Talpa had forbidden her to look within its depths and she would not disobey her master.

Her rosy lips curled as she thought of the one who had disobeyed Talpa.

_Anubis._

He was here, back in the dynasty that he'd once called home. He'd lead the ronin within the First Gate, had used the cursed Staff of the Ancients to announce his arrival, and was now fighting against men that were once his brothers.

"Traitor," she spat, hatred for the man rising inside her.

She looked down at the Mirror, waited for the temptation to use it to come, but it never did.

Kayura smiled. No. She was not Anubis; she was something much better: the only true servant her master had.

The door opened and the young woman immediately bowed low against the floor, averting her eyes even when her master's feet brushed past her. She stayed like that: silent, unmoving, dutiful; patiently waiting for her master's command.

After a moment – when the demon had settled himself within his throne – he spoke.

"You may rise, Kayura."

The woman did so gracefully – it was a mark of her rank, as were the robes that she now wore – and stared up at her master with adoring eyes.

Talpa gazed back at his servant and wondered if she knew that he hated her robes. They were lovely, the layers of pink, red, green, and blue brilliant against her snow-white skin, announcing to all who saw her that she was a lady of rank, but still he hated them. They reminded him too much of what she once was and of what she could become.

"What is it that you want, Kayura?"

Kayura blanched, momentarily caught off guard. Talpa had summoned her here and yet he was speaking to her as if she was the one who'd requested an audience!

Masking her confusion before the demon could act on it, she thought of the battle that she wasn't allowed to see.

"To fight the ronin that invade us, master."

Talpa paused, deliberately delaying his response. Let her think that he might not grant her wish; that her desires could be easily dismissed at his whim; let her know that it was his will that allowed her – or anyone within his realm – anything.

In the dynasty, his power was absolute. It was something that he never let his subordinates to forget.

"You may go, Kayura. And you may use the Mirror." Let her believe that he allowed her access to its powers.

The woman got up and bowed gratefully, the Mirror in her hands. "Thank you, master. I will not disappoint you."

Talpa nodded condescendingly and watched her go. She thought that she went to battle of her own accord; that her kind master had once more indulged in her wishes. Nonsense, all of it. He had a plan for her, of course. Soon it would be time for her to come into her full powers. And when that happened, not even that stupid monk would stop him.

Beneath his mask, Talpa smiled.

XX

Struggle was useless. Whatever poison was on that spear had completely immobilized her. Selena could no nothing but glare at her attackers and internally curse them to whatever painful, hell-bound afterlife they believed in while she simultaneously seethed at herself. Whatever end she had envisioned for herself, this was not it.

As the soldiers approached her, Selena desperately wished that she could move, or that she at least had her sword. Maybe then she'd get lucky and one of the soldiers would trip and impale himself on it.

But the poison showed no signs of weakening, and her sword remained where it fell.

Now completely surrounded by soldiers, Selena did her best to glare malevolently at them. Half expecting them to utter some triumphant phrase before finishing her off, she was beyond surprised when two of them picked her up and quickly moved her off the battlefield, the others falling in protectively around them.

Selena blinked in a mixture of confusion and outrage. The last time she'd been treated like this, Sekhmet had used her to locate Sage, who was trapped in a dark cave. That encounter reminded her of something else: her captors' seeming reluctance to harm her (a plus) indicated that they wanted her for another purpose. And Selena wasn't too inclined to find out was that was.

But unless a miracle occurred really soon, she had a feeling that she was going to be meeting Sage and Cye a lot sooner than she wanted.

A massive explosion billowed behind them. An instant later searing heat washed over her, singeing the hairs on her face. Staring at the back of the soldier that carried her, Selena thought she saw flames reflected on his armor and that of his guards. A red figure leaped briefly into her vision and then out again. There was the uncomfortably close sound of swords clashing, a grunt that was her captor's last sound as his head was removed from his body, and then she was falling.

_Aw, shit_, was all Selena managed before she hit the ground with a sickening crash. Still unable to move, she lay there, stunned as she watched Ryo dispatch the soldiers that had planned to kidnap her.

But more were on the way. Selena cursed her frozen body; she had to warn Ryo!

A streak of light did it for her. Blazing across the sky, it lodged in the back of a soldier that was sneaking up on Ryo and burst in a brilliant ray. The soldier fell to the ground and did not get up.

If she had been able to smile, she would have. She knew that move.

_Rowen!_

More shots fired that way told her that Rowen was aware of their distress. But even though the arrows came lightning fast, it quickly became apparent that they weren't enough. Despite his ferocious efforts, the soldiers were overwhelming Ryo. The ronin sliced through one and turned to face another, blocking an attack with one sword while thrusting with the other as a poison-tipped spear missed him by centimeters.

Selena ground her teeth in frustration. _He needs hel – wait._

She paused and ground her teeth again. She hadn't been able to do that a minute ago; perhaps the poison was wearing off!

She started small, wiggling her toes and fingers and noting with pleasure that although her arms and legs still refused to move, they were at least regaining sensation. She craned her neck until she caught sight of her sword, lying forgotten on the battlefield. If only she could get to it!

A tingling in her arms and legs told her that they would soon be back in action, and Selena began moving across the battlefield.

Keeping her eyes trained on her sword, Selena forced her dull limbs to obey her commands. Slowly, painfully she dragged herself across the dirt, dust, and spattered blood, thanking any listening deities that there were few bodies in her way.

She reached her sword in the same moment that Ryo was swallowed by dynasty soldiers.

"RYO!"

Kento was pissed. She felt the ground shake even as the echo of his cry lingered in the air. Knowing what was coming next, Selena grasped the hilt of her weapon, and summoning her rapidly returning strength, called upon her powers in time to join her attack with Kento's.

The resulting blast dwarfed Ryo's earlier flare. The ground literally ripped itself apart, swallowing the soldiers that were not incinerated by Fervor's sweeping light. Fighting his way through a throng of rapidly retreating warriors, Rowen managed to grab Ryo before he, too, was consumed by a furious earth.

By the time the attacks ended, a massive, gaping pit sat in Talpa's courtyard, on the other side of which huddled the small group of soldiers that had managed to survive the assault. Rowen trained his bow on them as the others caught their breath.

Kento was breathing heavily and Selena lay on her stomach, still gripping her sword while Ryo adjusted the twin katanas in his hands.

"Is everyone okay?" Rowen asked, not moving his eyes from the distant soldiers.

Kento nodded and helped Selena sit up. "I'm fine," she said. Her words were slow and slightly slurred. She grimaced and corrected herself, clearing her throat. "Or getting there."

Ryo gazed at her; he was frowning. "What happened?"

"Poison. On the spears." She glared in the soldiers' direction. "I couldn't move."

"A quick-acting muscle contractor," Rowen muttered to himself. He glanced at Ryo, gave the man a significant look. "They're planning something."

"Yeah," Selena agreed. "And they almost got me. Speaking of which, where are the warlords?"

Kento shrugged. "Dunno; one minute I was kicking Sekhmet's ass, the next I was being clobbered by soldiers."

Ryo nodded. "That's what happened to me."

"And me."

Selena frowned; that sounded like too much of a coincidence, like it was part of a plan. Suddenly she noticed something.

"Where's Anubis?"

Light, feminine laughter came on the heels of her question; the icy cruelty of the sound made the hairs on the back of their necks stand.

"Don't worry about him; he's in good hands."

The ronin – Rowen included – focused their attention on the dark woman approaching them, dressed in familiar lightweight armor. Selena, now able to use her legs again, got shakily to her feet and glared at their unwelcome hostess.

"Kayura." Her name was spoken like a curse. "What have you done with him?"

The woman feigned insult. "I have done nothing to him," she responded. Her dark eyes gleamed maliciously and her lips turned upward in a feral grin. "But what the warlords plan to do to him … ah, now that's another story."

Selena seethed. "You bi – "

"Kayura!" Ryo's voice rang over the courtyard, covering Selena's profanity. "Your master has our friends and we will get them back. Do not stand in our way. If you do, you will pay."

Kayura only laughed. "Then come, my little ronin. Show me what big, strong men you are." She glanced at Selena, gave the other woman a disparaging look. "Leave this to the real warriors, sweetheart. Wouldn't want you accidentally falling on that sword of yours."

Seriously pissed off, Selena charged, Kento with her. The others weren't far behind.

Kayura fingered the Mirror hidden at her back and smiled.

_Come, little ronin. Come to die._

XX

Anubis pulled himself to his feet, wiping dirt and gravel from his mouth as he faced his former generals. The three men laughed at his efforts.

"Your time with those brats has made you weak," Sekhmet said.

Dais sneered at his former commander. "You used to be the strongest of us all, and now look at you; you can barely stand!"

A slight narrowing of his eyes was Anubis's only acknowledgement of their insults. "You are making a mistake."

"Do not presume to lecture us, Anubis," Cale snapped. "You lost that right when you betrayed us."

Anubis looked at the dark-haired man and shook his head in pity. "I have done nothing; it is Talpa who – "

In a flash Cale's sword was drawn and inches from the monk's throat. The warlord's eyes glittered dangerously. "No more lies, monk." He spat his title like a curse.

Anubis steadily held Cale's gaze, searching for clues. He found none. "What is it you want, Cale?"

The taller man grinned.

"You."

XX

Kento ended up in front, his naginata spinning rapidly above his head as he sped towards the dark lady. With a cry he slammed the weapon against the ground, which erupted from its tip and spread outwards in a giant wave.

Kayura laughed at the oncoming onslaught. She pulled the Mirror from behind her back and held it in front of her. Hardrock's attack was visible in its surface and a second later the assault was headed toward the ronin.

It slammed into Strata with tremendous force, and the warrior was quickly lost under boulders and earth.

"Rowen!" Kento yelled and turned toward his friend. It was all Kayura needed.

With a single leap she landed next to Kento, unsheathed one of her daggers, and struck him viciously across the face. The ronin flew into a castle wall, cracking it.

And just like that, two of the ronin were down.

Selena and Ryo turned angry glares toward Kayura, who laughed merrily and twirled the Mirror lazily. She sent the pair a cocky smile.

"Your turn."

XX

Anubis did his best to quell the sudden fear running through his veins.

"You may have me," he said quietly to the warlords. It was not a hard decision; he had made it long ago. "But I must first see the boy. I need to know that he is safe."

Cale said nothing but looked at Anubis, silently appraising him, looking for tricks. A long, tense moment passed and Anubis was beginning to think that his plan had failed when suddenly the warlord acquiesced.

"Very well. You will see the boy." He made a gesture with his free hand and Dais vanished. An instant later he returned with a struggling Yuli in his grasp.

"Lemme go you big dummy!" Yuli pulled at the hand that held him, tried to kick Dais, and then stilled when he saw Anubis. His eyes went wide. "Anubis!" He craned his neck to smile triumphantly at Sekhmet. "See? I told you the ronin warriors were gonna come. Now you'll be sorry! They're gonna kick your butts and – "

"Silence!" Cale roared. Yuli clamped his mouth shut but glared daggers at the warlord's back, his hands folded into tiny fists. Cale turned to Anubis. "As you can see, the boy is fine. Now you will come with us."

Even though he'd agreed to this, Anubis hesitated. He gestured to Yuli.

"Let him go. He is innocent of all this. Surely he means nothing to you."

Anubis didn't like the way the warlords were suddenly grinning. Dais's grip on the boy tightened and Sekhmet laughed.

"Oh he means a great deal to us, you see. He controls the Jewel."

Anubis struggled to keep his surprise from showing, and lost. Cale pointedly looked at the tiny gem resting against the monk's breast, and Anubis automatically followed his gaze. Where a moment before it had lain dormant, the jewel was now glowing, and Anubis could sense its urgency. It wanted its guardian.

Cale grinned.

"So you see, Anubis, we cannot simply let him go. He will be staying with us for quite some time." The warlord's eyes darkened, and they were filled with painful promises. "As will you."

Anubis glanced from Cale to the other warlords. It only took him a moment to decide.

He slammed his staff into Cale, whipped the sacred rod up and struck the warlord's swordhand. The released weapon fell, but Anubis wasn't finished. He kicked Cale in the stomach, leaped over the stunned warlord, and knocked Sekhmet in the jaw with the end of his staff. Cale's dark sword clattered to the ground.

The warlords may have been outsmarted, but they weren't overcome. Before he had a chance to face Dais, Sekhmet recovered. Anubis barely managed to turn before two massive swords descended on him. He twisted, the Ancient's staff taking the brunt of the attack. He hoped that Yuli had been smart enough to take advantage of his brief distraction, because now the warlords were on to him. And they were pissed.

XX

Ryo went right, Selena left. Both did their best to avoid the Mirror, which they now knew could turn their attacks on them. However, it remained to be seen whether the piece of framed glass could deflect a direct blow, an aim that both ronin now sought to achieve.

Armed with a greater range than Ryo, Selena reached Kayura first. She feinted a high attack, and shifted, swinging low. Her blade grazed the dark lady's thigh and, without stopping, the sword continued in an arch aimed at her opponent's chest.

There was a high-pitched screeching noise as blade met mirror. Selena was surprised; Kayura's recovery time was amazingly fast. But she didn't have much time to wonder about this as the mirror – whose surface was facing her – began to glow.

Her intuition screamed and Selena forced the mirror aside. Not a moment later a beam of light shot from it and struck the ground. Selena stared at the scorched earth; that could've been her head!

That was when Ryo struck. He managed to get one blow on Kayura's shoulder before she fought back.

Her movements were lightning-fast; somehow she was fighting with both the Mirror and one of her daggers. Ryo had to concentrate so that he wasn't sliced or scorched. Quickly recovering, Selena joined the fight and found – to her irritation – that Kayura had no problem handling both the warriors at once. Damn, but she was good!

After several minutes of parrying blows by both the Mirror and Kayura's deadly dagger, Selena saw an opening as the woman moved to strike Ryo. She took it.

Lunging with her sword, she sought to disable Kayura by landing a blow on the woman's exposed right side. Suddenly, Kayura turned; Selena's eyes widened – it was a feint! Totally committed to her attack, Selena had no choice but to see it through, which was exactly what Kayura wanted.

The dark woman spun – a series of bursts fired rapidly from the Mirror, forcing Ryo back – and with one upward thrust sent Selena's odachi flying. Selena grit her teeth; that was the second time today that she'd lost her sword! But she wasn't helpless.

Throwing herself forward as if she was falling, Selena twisted and just before she hit the ground, lashed out with her foot, hooked her foot around Kayura's ankle, and pulled the woman down with her.

She heard Ryo yell her name, but she didn't listen. She should have.

Her head spun as a vicious blow struck her helmet, and Selena blinked back stars as she fought to remain conscious. Seconds later another blow landed on her side, where her wound used to be. It hurt, but not nearly as much if it wasn't healed.

Surprise flashed across Kayura's face and then she sneered.

"It looks as if your precious monk is good for something after all."

Selena responded by kicking Kayura in the stomach. The impact was so hard that the dark lady flew back several feet – right into the path of Ryo's attack.

She recovered faster than Selena thought was possible. Defying all logic, she came at Ryo, who was running toward her with his swords locked and the words already on his lips.

"FLARE UP NOW!"

Blazing torrents of fire erupted from his blade. Undeterred by the inferno headed toward her, Kayura tackled Ryo. Then she did something – Selena couldn't see what – and he was in the air.

The flames went out, extinguished as abruptly as snuffing a lit candle, and Selena felt real fear grip her heart. What could possibly do that?

Ryo hit the ground, limp and apparently unconscious. His sword, returned to its original twin form, landed beside him.

Kayura looked at the fallen warrior with a mixture of disgust and greed. Paying no attention to Selena, she held up the Mirror and pointed it at Ryo. Her plan was obvious.

"NO!"

Already moving, Selena threw herself in front of Ryo. She glared at Kayura.

"You cannot have him!"

She could have sworn Kayura rolled her eyes, but at this distance it was hard to tell.

"You are wasting your time, Fervor. You have already lost. Now be a good girl and give up your armor."

Selena responded with an obscenity that would have made a lesser person's ears curl. Kayura only stared back, impassive.

"Is vulgarity your only defense?" She sighed. "This will be too easy."

This time, Selena replied through action. She turned and grabbed the fallen Soul Swords. When her hands wrapped around the hilts of the swords, a jolt ran through her, like a small electric shock, but Selena ignored it. She slid into a defensive stance and, without thinking about how she did it, effortlessly melded the two swords together. Gripping the Fervor Soul Sword, Selena locked narrowed eyes with Kayura.

"Bring it on, bitch."

XX

A quick blast from the end of the staff was enough to catch Dais by surprise and ensure Yuli's escape. The boy twisted and kicked the warlord in the shin. For the armored warlord it was a nearly useless gesture, but the shot from the staff had unnerved him enough to loosen his grip on the boy and Yuli broke free.

He ran from the warlord, seeking shelter behind a guard tower.

Anubis saw the boy run and internally breathed a sigh of relief. But they weren't out of this yet. He turned his attention back to Sekhmet and pushed against the taller warlord, using his weight against him.

Sekhmet stumbled back and Anubis swiped low, knocking his feet out from under him. The large man crashed to the ground and Anubis turned. His eyes widened; Dais was stalking after Yuli – and this time he had his weapon out.

"You can't hide from me, kid," the Warlord of Illusion growled. The kama glinted dangerously in his hand. "I'll teach you a lesson you won't ever forget."

Yuli heard Dais from his place behind the tower. He shrunk deeper into the shadows.

Anubis was halfway to intercepting Dais when the area suddenly started to grow dark – as if all the light was being sucked out. For a moment, Anubis froze – he knew where this came from – and then doubled his efforts.

He dropped to the ground and leaped, his staff blazing as he sailed through the air. When the staff touched the ground, the earth trembled. Anubis glanced behind him at Yuli. He swiftly removed the Jewel of Life from around his neck and threw it to the boy, who caught it instinctively.

Anubis glanced at the warlords; saw the anger in their eyes. He didn't have much time.

"Yuli! Use the Jewel to go home!"

"But I want to stay and help!"

Anubis didn't give the boy the chance to argue. Quickly, he spun his staff and touched its tip to the magatama. The tiny jewel began to glow. Anubis managed a stiff, "Think of home!" before the light completely engulfed Yuli. An instant later the boy was gone.

XX

Yuli stumbled on thick carpet, caught himself on the arm of a nearby sofa, and blinked. He slowly took in his surroundings, as if unsure that what he saw was real: the tall, arched ceilings, dormant fireplace, and familiar furniture of the lodge assured him that it was. Suddenly he smiled and, placing the now dull jewel around his neck, opened his mouth.

"Is anybody home?"

XX

Anubis tried once more to reason with his former generals.

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to listen to Talpa; you can choose your own life!"

Cale stooped and picked up his sword. It screeched as it drug along the ground.

"You know the vows as well as we do, Anubis."

Sekhmet stood with his commander. "And that is why we cannot allow you to live."

"Talpa will find someone else to bear the Armor of Cruelty," Dais said. He looked the monk up and down, and sneered. "Someone more worthy."

Anubis blanched. So they truly meant to kill him. He didn't let his fear show. He looked at Dais and shook his head.

"It is not Talpa's will that the armors obey. They came with their own strength that Talpa cannot conceive, or understand. He only wants that power for himself."

"And he'll get it," Dais declared. "Starting with you!"

Closest to the monk, he threw his kama at him with deadly speed, but Anubis jumped out of the way, deflecting what he could not avoid with his staff and feet.

He landed and then rolled as Sekhmet and Cale fell upon him, each with swords drawn. Cale tore the fabric of his white inner kimono, but that was as close as the warlord got; now that Yuli was safely away, the monk unleashed his strength.

He turned, struck a skulking Dais in the jaw, whipped his staff around, and slammed the thick piece of wood across their heads. The three went flying and when they landed they did not get up.

Anubis brought the staff back to its upright position. Even in the dark he could see that the three men were hurt, and their pride wounded. But he looked at them only with pity.

"Do not make the same mistake I did," Anubis warned them. "Talpa does not care about you; his only concern are armors you wear. He is using you."

Cale's smile unnerved his former commander.

"Talpa already has nine of the armors; yours is all he needs."

Fear shook Anubis to his core, and on its heels came a distress call. A sharp pain pierced his heart, and despite his garb he felt his armor respond; Selena was in danger!

XX

There was no pointless posturing, no fancy moves – just a straight attack: direct, and deadly. There wouldn't be any walking away from this one.

Both raised their weapons of choice: a sword and a mirror.

Kayura shot first. A bolt of light – stronger than anything she had previously fired – streaked towards her opponent; an unmerciful ball of sacred power. Selena automatically raised her borrowed sword to deflect the attack when, of its own accord, the sword discharged its own energy, the colored light speeding toward the oncoming attack.

Selena stared at the Soul Sword in complete shock; she hadn't done that!

For one brief moment the two energies were visible, and then they collided. A massive explosion ripped through the courtyard. Selena was caught by the full brunt of the blast, and the resultant shockwave knocked her off her feet and ripped the Soul Sword from her hand.

Her eyes were wide, stunned. She was trembling. _What the hell was that?_

She automatically looked around to make sure the ronin were okay, and that's when Kayura struck. Although she, too, had been blown over by the strange explosion, she wasn't as affected by it as Selena. Grabbing her twin sai daggers – like Selena's sword, the mirror had been taken from her during the blast – she ran and leaped at the unsuspecting warrior.

She lifted one dagger high, one low – one to stab and one to slice – and was satisfied to see the woman turn too late, the fear creeping into her eyes as the reality of her own death dawned.

She brought her daggers swiftly down – and blinked when they struck something solid and not the flesh she sought.

"You will not harm the ronin warriors."

Kayura found herself staring into the hardened face of that blasted monk and screamed. Where the hell had _he_ come from?

She leapt away and did her best to swallow her rage.

"Tired of the warlords already?"

Anubis straightened from his crouch in front of Selena and smiled humorlessly at Kayura. "They weren't up for the challenge, I'm afraid."

If she was surprised that he had overcome the three warlords so quickly, she hid it well.

"Well then this is your lucky day, because I love challenges."

She attacked first and Anubis met her halfway. His staff clashed with her swords, and the battle was engaged. They fought each other relentlessly; Kayura fueled by her anger, Anubis by his desire to protect Selena and her fallen comrades.

They were a whirlwind as they moved around the courtyard, one retreating before suddenly pushing forward and forcing the other back. Neither managed to land a blow, and the intensity of their battle increased. Soon Anubis found himself looking for a way to end this fight, but Kayura refused to give him that advantage.

She leaped on top of the inner wall. Anubis hesitated a moment before following.

In the courtyard, Selena got to her feet. She grasped her hands to try to get them to stop trembling. Her soul was still reeling from the explosion. What the hell was that power?

A low moaning sound caught her attention. She looked up and groaned. The soldiers were back.

_Great. Just what I need._

She scanned the courtyard, looking for her or Ryo's swords. With the soldiers in her way, she couldn't see either of them. Selena sighed and crouched low, preparing to fight.

_Hurray for pain._

A golden arrow shot over her head and embedded in the soldier closest to her. The soldier looked down at the shaft protruding from his armor and then he exploded. So did the ones standing next to him.

Selena blinked as the chain that had taken those guys out was retracted. She followed its path, her eyes going wide when she saw who it was.

"Kento!"

The orange-armored ronin grinned at her. "What?" he said. "I couldn't let you have all the fun. Isn't that right, Rowen?"

The blue-haired ronin fired another arrow, eliminating another sizeable chunk of the army before dropping from his perch on the wall to land beside them. He spoke before Selena had a chance to say anything.

"Try to be more careful of where you decide to lose your weapons. This thing almost hit me." He held up her sword and handed it to her. "I don't know how you hold on to that thing; it's heavy as hell."

Selena grinned and turned back to the soldiers. "I've had lots of practice."

"Yeah," Kento agreed, following her gaze. "And we're about to get some more."

"I can handle it," Selena said. She glanced at her friends. "How about you? You guys okay?"

"We're fine," Rowen answered.

"Yeah," Kento agreed. "Kayura may have knocked us up a bit, but we're not down." He squared his shoulders and gripped his naginata. "Let's go."

They felled the soldiers easily, but more kept coming. As Selena sliced one soldier and kicked another before swiftly relieving him of his head, she wondered if the dynasty even had a limit to the number of soldiers under its command. Strong though they were, they were not infallible, and she at least was feeling her fatigue. She couldn't fight forever; something needed to happen, and soon.

"FLARE UP NOW!"

Well, that worked.

"Ryo's back," Kento announced, somewhat unnecessarily as a giant column of flame and fire spread across the battlefield, incinerating the troops in its path.

"And he found his swords," Selena muttered, the heat from the ronin's attack washing over her. The other three ronin quickly followed their leader's example, and soon the courtyard was clear of dynasty soldiers.

Selena breathed heavily; that last attack had really taken it out of her. But still – as always, it seemed – the fight wasn't over. Anubis was now on the shrine roof and he was still fighting Kayura. Selena fought off her fatigue, grasped her sword and headed off; she had to help him.

XX

They met in mid-air, their weapons clashing. Pushing off of each other, they fell. Anubis flipped and landed deftly on the city wall. He faced Kayura, who stood just feet away from him. She smirked and twirled her swords around her in an elaborate arch.

"STAR SWORD SCREAM!"

An unearthly wind whipped around him and Anubis felt the dark energy gathering for the attack. He grasped the staff lengthwise in front of him, and prepared for the assault.

When the darkness surrounded him, he did not give in. Focusing on the Ancients' powers within the staff, he brought forth its welcoming light. The head of the staff glowed and the light shining from it expanded until it encircled him. It engulfed the dark energy and eliminated it. With a bang, Kayura's attack was gone.

For the first time, fear showed on her face as she looked at Anubis. It was the opening he'd been waiting for.

Launching himself at Kayura, Anubis cried, "You will cause suffering no more!" This time it was he who was prepared to destroy her.

Selena and the others reached the rooftop in time to see the staff descend toward Kayura – and then stop inches from her face.

"What the - ?" Rowen cried, but Selena didn't answer; she was just as shocked as he.

Once again the head of the staff was glowing, but there was no malice in the act; only a faint but steady warning that was aimed at its wielder. Anubis stared at the weapon in his hand, shocked; the staff warned him! It was actually pushing against him; his arm shook from the effort to make it descend.

His surprise rocketed to previously unreached heights when he looked at Kayura. The woman appeared not to notice him; her eyes were locked onto the staff but her gaze was distant. Fear and something else flickered briefly through her eyes as she looked at the glowing staff. Anubis didn't know what to make of it – he didn't know what to make of any of this – and his confusion increased.

What was going on?

That was precisely what Selena wanted to know. When the staff had started to glow, she'd felt its power, but now she felt something else. Something foreign, and yet familiar. She frowned. Where had she felt this before? And why the hell was the staff acting against Anubis? He was the Ancients' successor – wasn't he?

Suddenly the staff stopped glowing and the sensation faded. Anubis uprighted the staff with trembling hands; he made no further move toward Kayura.

Kayura blinked and looked at Anubis. He glanced at her and the questions she saw within his gaze were too much for her, and she abruptly disappeared, fleeing to the safety of the dynasty's inner sanctum.

Ryo was the first to speak.

"What was that?"

Selena watched as Anubis visibly shuddered and, collecting himself, turned to the ronin. He looked at Selena first, and an unspoken agreement passed between them. They needed to discuss what just happened, but they couldn't do it here.

"We must leave," he said, this time to all of them. "It isn't safe."

Kento snorted and muttered something like, "no shit."

"Where?" Ryo demanded. Anubis thought for a moment.

"I know a place; Talpa will not find us there."

The ronin glanced at Ryo, who nodded.

"Take us there."


	23. Chosen

Sorry about the late update. I had some serious plot work to figure out. Thanks for reading! Ya'll rock!

* * *

_**Twenty-two**_

"You failed."

A shiver ran down Cale's spine at the matter-of-fact manner with which those words were spoken. He was suddenly and abruptly aware of a deep, primal fear, not unlike that felt by a cornered animal facing a large, powerful – and deadly – predator. The Warlord of Corruption swallowed the sudden urge to flee.

He kneeled before Talpa, alone. The other warlords were presumably nearby, waiting anxiously for their master's summons, and grateful that they were spared the brunt of his displeasure.

Dais may have thought of the trap for the ronin, and Sekhmet planned it, but it had been up to Cale to see it properly executed. As the leader, the trap's success was his responsibility. As was its failure.

"The monk survived, and the Jewel of Life has returned to the ronin."

Cale cringed under each accusation, but wisely said nothing.

The demon emperor turned around and even with his eyes trained on the floor Cale felt the icy contempt of his master's gaze. Again, he fought his body's urge to run, and won - but barely.

"Tell me," Talpa spoke, this time directly to his servant, "why should I not kill you?"

Cale blanched. For a moment it felt as if his heart had stopped, but then survival instincts kicked in. With his heart practically thundering in his ears, Cale desperately reached for an answer, and grabbed on to the first one that came to mind.

"Because you need my armor."

If the atmosphere had been tense before, it was now downright ominous.

Talpa's eyes narrowed to barely perceptible slits.

"What did you say?"

Now Cale was desperate. That had been the completely _wrong_ thing to say to Talpa, but it was too late to recant. Keeping his eyes on the floor, Cale returned, "You need my armor to defeat the ronin. You cannot beat them without me."

The demon emperor's eyes flashed dangerously, and although Cale did not see it he felt it through a small tightening in his chest that told him that perhaps it would have been wiser not to say anything at all.

"_I_ need _you_?" Talpa said 'you' like it was directed at the most vile, loathsome, and yet utterly insignificant life form that the demon had ever had the misfortune of laying eyes on.

Cale fumed, but kept his mouth shut.

Talpa said nothing more, but made a motion with his hand. An instant later two familiar presences materialized in the room; Cale knew them to be Sekhmet and Dais.

The two warlords immediately dropped to their knees, mirroring Cale's submissive position. They had no idea what was going on, but they knew it wasn't good. Talpa stared down at his three generals with displeasure. The fury in his voice made the palace walls tremble.

"Your leader" – the demon sneered the title - "appears to be under a strange misapprehension concerning the armors. Do you share his feelings?"

Sekhmet and Dais had a vague idea what their master was talking about, but they only bowed their heads and said nothing. Talpa continued as if he'd never asked them the question.

"Your armor belongs to me!" He stopped in front of Cale, although he addressed them all. "_I_ gave you the armors;_ I_ gave you power. And I can give you pain."

He gestured and suddenly Cale was screaming. His companions watched in absolute horror as their leader writhed on the stone floor like a tortured animal. They each cringed as the link that connected the armors to each other pulsed with their leader's pain.

"The armors are mine," Talpa said, ignoring the man's screams. He stared at his two cowering warlords, his next words carrying the promise of pain worse than what they were witnessing if they disobeyed him. He grinned, and it was like staring into the face of Death.

"_You_ are _mine_."

XX

Afterwards, Sekhmet and Dais walked cautiously to their fallen leader, who lay unmoving against the floor. Dais checked him; he was conscious, and really pissed off.

"You really upset him," Sekhmet said as he helped Cale to his feet. The Warlord of Corruption sent the man a look that would have caused hundreds to flee in terror.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Cale involuntarily coughed and grabbed his side. It didn't really matter which side; he hurt all over.

Dais pretended not to notice this and asked the question that had been burning in his mind from the moment he and Sekhmet were summoned.

"What happened?"

Cale coughed again and spat a ball of blood onto the floor. He ignored it.

"He threatened to kill me."

"_What?"_

Sekhmet looked confused. "But he needs our armors – doesn't he?"

"Apparently not," Cale said, and he didn't look too happy about it.

"No," Dais said slowly. He was speaking quietly, lest someone – or something – overhear them and report back to Talpa. That was the last thing they needed right now. "Master Talpa needs the ronin armors; he can't be at full power without them. That means that without our armors, he'd be vulnerable, too – open to attack."

"So he needs us," Sekhmet said.

Dais nodded. "Yes."

"Then why'd he say otherwise? Why did he attack Cale?" Sekhmet thought hard, came to a conclusion, but then hesitated to say it. If it was true …

"What is it?" Dais asked, who'd caught the look on his fellow warlord's face.

The green-haired man paused. "It's just – what if all those things Anubis said was right? What if our armors really do have their own powers apart from Talpa? What if – what if he's just using us?"

"Then he's a bastard," Cale spat. His companions looked shocked; the blatant blasphemy was far worse to them than their hesitations and vague insinuations of betrayal.

"Don't speak of Master Talpa that way!"

"I'll call him whatever I want, and I don't care who hears it." Cale straightened, and though he was a little wobbly on his feet, turned to his lieutenants. "After what he did to me, I don't care if he's telling the truth or not. But there's a way to find out."

It took the others a few seconds to catch up, but when they did they grinned.

"The Mirror."

XX

"What the hell was that?"

Sensing that the question was directed at her, Selena looked up at Kento's scowling face and shrugged.

"I have no idea," she answered honestly.

The warrior of strength threw his hands up in frustration.

"Why is it that every time we get close to beating Kayura, something stops us!"

Rowen glanced at the raging ronin from his perch on top of a wooden railing and sent his friend an amused look. "'Every time'? This is the _only_ time we've come close to beating her."

Kento returned that comment with an ugly glare.

"But still! We could've had the Mirror!" The dark haired young man sat down on the ground with an indignant 'thump' and morosely rested his chin in his hand. "Now we've just pissed them off."

Selena couldn't decide which surprised her more: Kento's adept observation or his attitude. Even Rowen was taken aback by the ronin's words.

"Man, Kento, you're starting to sound like Sage."

It was meant to be lighthearted, but no one laughed. Kento lowered his eyes and even Rowen fell silent as his thoughts turned to his captive friend.

"Kento's right." Ryo's voice cut through the suddenly awkward silence. He looked around at his gathered companions. "Talpa won't rest long now that Kayura and the warlords have been cowed. And the incident with the staff will make them think they have an advantage."

He didn't say it, but they were all thinking it – if their most powerful weapon was no match against the dynasty, then what hope was there for the rest of them?

Kento shot an irritated glance at the small shrine behind him where Anubis was meditating. "What's taking him so long? He's been in there forever!"

"Kento," Selena tried to soothe, "these things take time. He's trying to understand what happened with the staff – "

"What's to figure out? The staff's broken!" He glanced quickly at his friends, as if seeking confirmation, but Rowen and Ryo said nothing and only looked at the ground. Kento turned back to Selena. He did not look happy. "And in the meantime, we're just sitting here giving the dynasty all the time they need to plan their next move."

"The dynasty cannot attack us here."

"But we can't stay here forever." Once again, the youth's prescience surprised her. "I say we get out of here, head for Sage and Cye, and get them while the dynasty licks its wounds."

Rowen shifted on the railing and gestured to the shrine. "I agree. Anubis doesn't need the staff; he still has his armor."

Selena stared at the ronin, shocked; were they seriously considering leaving the staff behind? Were they insane?

She leaned forward, suddenly feeling like she was being bullied. And she didn't like that.

"That staff has more power than any of our armors. If there is something wrong with it, we cannot just ignore it; we have to find – "

"We don't have the time, Selena," Ryo interrupted her. His tired but determined gaze met hers. "We can't wait forever."

She stared at him a moment longer, their iron wills silently battling each other. Then Selena glanced away and sighed. Acquiescing for the moment, she stood up and looked at her companions, who gazed back at her expectantly.

"All right," she said. "I'll talk to him. But don't expect me to be quick."

"Selena," Ryo's voice rang with warning. Already halfway up the steps to the shrine, Selena stopped and half-turned toward the fiery warrior.

"Ryo," she said, and her voice was like ice, "you can wait. And so can the dynasty."

Without bothering to wait for a reply, Selena turned back and, ducking low, entered the shrine.

Anubis sat toward the back, his legs crossed in a meditative position with the backs of his hands resting gently on his knees as he sat silent and unmoving before the staff. He spoke without preamble.

"It's not broken."

Selena blushed. So he'd heard that.

"Then what's wrong with it?" She spoke gentle, in hushed tones. There was something about this place that demanded respect, and she found herself loath to break the silence.

Anubis shook his head. "Nothing. The staff is fine."

Selena thought that this would be good news, and wondered why he sounded troubled. She frowned.

"But – " he hesitated.

"But …" she gently encouraged. She was now close enough to see his face. His eyes were closed and his brow furrowed. He didn't speak. She noticed then that the Jewel was missing from around his neck. When he failed to say anything more, she reached out and gently touched the spot under his collarbone where the magatama had lain.

"You were going to give yourself up for him, weren't you?"

They both knew whom she meant by 'him.' Eyes still closed, Anubis nodded.

Selena sighed, dropping her fingers from his neck to clench them in her lap as she tried to still the tremors in her body. What a disaster that would have been …

A warm hand settled on top of hers. "Yuli is fine," Anubis said, mistaking her reaction as concern for the boy. But that wasn't what bothered her.

"And you?"

Now it was Anubis's turn to look troubled. He glanced at the staff and frowned. He looked as if he were searching for something …

"The staff is different." He finally said. His words were halting. "It is not responding to me as it used to. It's … it's as if it has changed."

Now that alarmed Selena. She had never heard of the staff _changing_. She dropped to her knees beside Anubis and stretched her fingers until they came in contact with the body of the staff.

The worn wood felt warm beneath her skin, like it always had: alive and yet not living. She breathed slowly out, centered herself and opened herself to the Ancient's powers. What she felt surprised her.

Abruptly she pulled her hand away and turned to Anubis. He was watching her.

"You felt it." It wasn't a question.

Selena swallowed. "Yes." It was surprisingly difficult to say that one word. She glanced back at the staff and then at Anubis.

"What was that?"

The monk looked at the staff and sighed. His fingers tightened in her hand. "I believe that the staff no longer considers me to be the Ancient."

"_What?"_ Selena stared at Anubis, aghast. Her eyes dropped to his blue and white robes as if they were evidence enough of his position; she refused to believe otherwise. "But you are the Ancient's successor!"

Anubis nodded, but it was more a gesture of conciliation than agreement. "I was." He turned his attention back to the staff, his eyes glittering in the dull light. "But now it seems that the staff has found someone else to bear the Ancient's mantle."

Although she dreaded the answer, she had to know. Selena grabbed Anubis's arm and forced him to look at her.

"Who?"

XX

Kayura stared dully at the mirror and reflected on the recent battle. She had much to think about.

Anubis had tried to kill her, and had very nearly succeeded when his staff – the Ancient's staff – had interceded, and prevented him from harming her. Instead of comforting her, it only made her feel uneasy, like she had after she'd escaped the Ancients' shrine. There was something about that staff that she didn't like. And then there was the Mirror's odd reaction to Wildfire's swords …

Kayura frowned; it didn't make sense – none of it did.

She reached up and took the mirror from its place on her table, and cradled it in her hands, the mirror side down. So far she had resisted looking into its depths, and prided herself on her achievement. But now …

Kayura hesitated, and then turned the mirror over.

Almost immediately her mind was overwhelmed with images of a village that was at once both familiar and strange. People – men, women, and children – went about their daily lives: trading, mending clothes and baskets, and – in the case of the children – playing in the dirt-covered streets while watchful parents warned of approaching carts or wayward cattle. But the world was skewed: everything and everyone was so big; Kayura felt as if she were permanently looking up.

Someone called her name. Kayura turned, and so did her vision. Two adults – one man and one woman – beckoned to her, smiling. Kayura had just enough time to notice that the man's hair was the exact same shade as hers before she was suddenly running toward him. She leaped into his arms and the man laughed, easily swinging her up and over his shoulders.

It was at this point that Kayura – or the part of her that was still in the dynasty – realized two things: that the person whose body she was occupying belonged to a child (which explained why everything looked so big), and that she recognized these people.

The girl-child giggled and laughed, obviously happy at (for once) being taller than everyone else. She looked down at the brown-haired woman and yelled, "Mommy, look at me!"

An exaggerated look of astonishment came over the woman's face. "Look how big you are! How did you grow so fast?"

The little girl just laughed in response and turned her attention to her surroundings. A tiny fist grabbed a handful of dark hair for balance while the other waved wildly at everything and everyone.

Through the crowds of people, Kayura caught sight of all-too familiar blue and white robes. She froze even as her heart sped up in alarm; how could that bloody monk be here?

As if sensing her temporary visitor's unease, the little girl suddenly stopped waving and pointed to the blue-clad monk. In as serious a tone as a four-year-old could muster, she said,

"Daddy, who is that man?"

Kayura felt the man shift beneath her to see whom the girl meant. It didn't take him long to spot the monk.

"That is the Ancient," the man's deep voice rumbled. It reminded Kayura of thunder in a gentle summer storm, and something – a long-forgotten memory – stirred deep within her. "He protects our people from harm."

"Ohhh." The little girl thought about this for a moment and then declared with that innocent faith that all children have, "I like him! He's nice!"

The girl's mother laughed. "Yes, he is." She turned and reached up towards her daughter. "Now come Kayura; it's time for daddy to go to the fields, and for you to take a bath."

Kayura was too shocked to hear the girl's plea to stay and play. What the hell was this? A dream? A vision? A – dare she think it – a memory? She didn't know. She almost didn't want to know.

The part of her mind that was still her did the equivalent of a blank stare as it battled against comprehension. Deep within, she _knew _that little girl was her, which meant that those people – they were her … parents? And the Ancient – he was her master? Is that why the staff hadn't harmed her? Because she was his kin?

But she was an orphan, wasn't she? Master Talpa had taken her in when no one else would, and had raised her. The dynasty was the only home she'd ever had – wasn't it?

Kayura didn't know, and she panicked. It was too much to take in.

For the first time in her life, Kayura fainted.

XX

"Not her!" Shocked into motion, Selena sprang up and in two strides was at the other end of the shrine. Alarmed, Anubis followed her. She was pacing and gesturing wildly.

"Why her?" Selena muttered to herself. "How could it be her?"

Anubis grabbed the distraught woman and turned her toward him. He rubbed her arms to calm her.

"I know this isn't easy to accept," he said and Selena snorted; _that_ was an understatement. "But it's true."

Their eyes met. For a moment it seemed as though Selena was going to acquiesce, but then she remembered exactly whom they were talking about.

"But she's evil," she protested, shaking her head in denial. It was juvenile, she knew, but it was the last defense she had.

Anubis reached up and stroked the scar on her cheek. He spoke in gently persuasive tones. "So was I, once."

Selena opened her mouth to say that had been different, but even as the words formed the protest died on her lips as she realized that wasn't true. Back then, Anubis, fueled with the dynasty's rage, had tried to kill her – just as Kayura had attempted to do this afternoon with the Mirror. And, despite his occasional displays of humanity, the only reason Selena had gone to Anubis was because of her master's insistence - because of her trust in Kaos. Now, Anubis was asking her to trust him in regards to Kayura.

In a way, it was all very ironic.

When Selena looked up, she was smiling softly, as if she was laughing at a private joke.

"He said you had a human heart, you know - the Ancient," she told Anubis. "Perhaps Kayura has one, too."

"I'm sure of it." He didn't know why she was smiling, but he understood one thing: she'd said yes.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you for believing in me," he said.

"Anytime," Selena responded, suddenly very aware of how close they were. Her eyes dropped to his mouth and she blushed. What was she thinking? They were in a shrine! They couldn't just –

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as Anubis kissed her. For a moment Selena was shocked, but she quickly relaxed and leaned into the kiss, enjoying the moment. They hadn't had much of a chance to be alone lately, and she was damned if she was going to miss out on this just because an insanely powerful, one-thousand year-old demon was trying to take over the world. Selena wrapped her arms around Anubis and kissed him back. She'd been right; the dynasty could wait.

A throat cleared behind them and Selena internally screamed. _Not now!_

Reluctantly, the pair parted and turned toward their unexpected visitor. It was Ryo.

"Hey." He stood in the shrine's entrance with his arms crossed. There was a questioning look in his eyes, but he kindly refrained from saying anything. He looked from Anubis to Selena and got straight to the point.

"We've decided. We're not going to wait any longer."

Understanding the young man's intent, Selena stepped forward; ready to argue. "But the Staff – "

Ryo interrupted whatever she was going to say. He sounded weary, and slightly irritated. "We don't have the time, Selena. Besides," he said, indicating Anubis, "he still has his armor."

Anubis frowned at that. "What about my armor?"

Selena turned from the ronin to the monk. She gestured helplessly toward Ryo and beyond, where the others waited outside. "They're going to break into the castle and free Sage and Cye. They don't think they'll need the Staff."

For a moment Anubis said nothing, thinking. Then he nodded to himself and looked up at Ryo.

"Alright," he said. "I'll come with you."

XX

She was dimly aware of someone shaking her, and when the voice spoke, it wasn't kind.

"Wake up, woman!"

Kayura recognized the voice as Dais's, and groaned – but whether from her aching head or of the prospect of talking to the warlord now, so soon after her ordeal, she didn't know. When she opened her eyes, the world was still spinning, and so she grabbed on to the nearest thing to steady herself; which happened to be Sekhmet.

The warlord had been standing over her, ready to catch her if she fell – again. They'd had one hell of a time getting her to wake up – whatever had happened had knocked her out hard – and he'd done his part by keeping her steady, and occasionally giving her a good shake.

This time he didn't hold her for long; as soon as Kayura realized whom she was leaning against, she sprang away – which did nothing to improve her headache – and slumped over, holding her head in her hands.

What the _hell_ had just happened? Visions of those strange/familiar people – _Father? Mother?_ – danced in her mind, but she didn't know what to make of them. What did it all mean? And what were the warlords doing in her room?

It was too much, and Kayura nearly lost it, but she managed to keep herself together. Despite the chaos swirling inside, she knew one thing: she was strong. She sat up straight, folded her hands in her lap, leveled her gaze at the intruding warlords, and waited for them to speak.

She didn't have to wait long. Seeing that she was not only conscious but cognizant, Cale spoke bluntly.

"We need the Mirror."

Kayura couldn't help but glance at the piece of glass where it lay on the floor, where she'd dropped it after the … incident. She shuddered.

She collected herself and returned her gaze to the men. "Why?"

"Talpa has lied to us. We must know how deep his deception goes."

Kayura could not stop the wave of protective indignation that filled her at Sekhmet's words; conflicted though she was, Talpa was still her master. She would not betray him on a dream.

Moving fast, she snatched the mirror from the ground and faced the trio. "No," she firmly stated, holding the mirror protectively in her hands. "You cannot have it."

At a silent command from Cale, the warlords moved.

With Kayura weakened both mentally and physically, they easily overpowered her. Sekhmet wrenched the mirror from her grip and wordlessly handed it over to Dais, who examined the glass excitedly.

The warlords frowned when they saw nothing in the mirror but their own reflections. Dais tapped the glass experimentally, but nothing happened. He frowned.

"Something's not right."

"What do you mean?" Sekhmet asked, looking over the shorter man's shoulder. "Isn't it working?"

Kayura's soft voice spoke up behind them. "It cannot work without me."

Cale exchanged a brief glance with his lieutenants, then took the Mirror from Dais and held it out to her. "Well then, make it work."

She refused.

Cale turned an angry gaze toward her. "I don't have much patience, Kayura." One hand rested pointedly on the hilt of his sword. "Don't make me force you."

Despite the warlord's threats, Kayura held firm.

"I will not."

Cale's fury spiked. The room darkened suddenly, as if all but the strongest light had vanished. The warlord didn't move so much as _extend_, and a moment later there was a thud, followed closely by the ominous sound of wood breaking as Kayura slammed against the wall. The taller man loomed over her, using his body's large frame to hold her captive.

"I warned you not to force me," he growled, his fingers tightening around her neck.

Kayura still managed to send the man a defiant glare, an action that she soon regretted as his grip became bruising. She coughed, and when she tried to inhale it came out as a grating wheeze.

Behind him, Dais and Sekhmet began to look worried.

"Cale …"

"We need her."

"We need the truth," the man shot back. His dark eyes met Kayura's, and she was startled to see that he was pleading with her. "That's all I ask for, Kayura. The truth."

Still, she hesitated, her recent experience with the Mirror fresh in her mind; they knew not what they asked for. And yet, she understood their pain.

She nodded, and Cale let her go. "All right." She sounded hoarse, defeated. "All right."

Kayura slowly took the Mirror from Dais, her fingers hesitating for a fraction of a section before they closed around its glossy face. She was careful not to look into its glass.

Her actions did not go unnoticed by the warlords, and a dull unease crept up their spines. Suddenly, they weren't so such about this. But before they could say otherwise, Kayura wordlessly exposed the mirror's surface. They couldn't help but look at it – and immediately wished that they hadn't.

…

_The dull gong of the bell rang across the courtyard, signaling the start of afternoon prayers. For the orphans in the monastery, this meant play, but not for him. The small white-haired child carefully rolled the scroll he'd been dutifully copying, blew across his paper to dry the fresh ink, and smiled as the sounds of the other children faded. He liked the quiet, the stillness. In the monastery, there was plenty of it._

_Still, it was a beautiful day – the kind of day that no one, not even the shy six-year-old could ignore. And so, careful so as not to disturb the monks, the boy quietly made his way outside._

_He avoided the noisy play of the other children. He couldn't stand it; they were always playing some violent war game. He hated war – it was nothing but loud and messy and full of chaos. He knew; his parents had been killed in one of the many terrible conflicts between daimyos, as had all the other children's. They were war orphans, part of a growing population of homeless children as the wars continued to rage. At least they were lucky enough to be taken in by the monks. Many didn't even have that._

_No, Dais decided; he wanted nothing to do with war. Maybe that's why he sought peace everywhere he went; he'd had enough of fighting._

_He flopped down on the ground, the soft summer grass cushioning his body as he lay with his hands behind his head, content with just watching the world move around him. This was his secret place; none of the other children had found it yet. He was glad for that. Here, there were no fights or crying, no taunts or too-loud whispers. Just calm, peaceful quiet._

_I HAVE FOUND YOU._

_Oddly enough, Dais felt no fear, no panic as a voice that came from everywhere and nowhere suddenly broke the silence of the afternoon. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at a light that was not the sun hovering over him._

_YOU ARE STRANGE, CHILD. YOU HAVE BEEN TAINTED BY THE HORRORS OF HUMANITY, AND YET YOU DO NOT LET THEM CONTROL YOU._

_Dais just stared at the light blankly; he had no idea what it was talking about. The light tried again._

_YOU SEEK PEACE._

_The child thought about that. The monks had always called it solitude. He liked peace better._

"_What do you seek?" he asked the light, speaking for the first time._

_The light's answer was simple enough._

_YOU. WILL YOU HAVE ME?_

_Dais focused on the light's soothing presence, and wondered what it would be like to have that all the time. Maybe it could make his nightmares go away. He shuddered at the thought of those horrible dream-memories; they made him cry, and the other kids laugh at him. Maybe, with this light, he could finally find the peace he was looking for. Maybe._

"_Okay."_

_The light disappeared, and Dais was disappointed; wasn't it going to stay? Then he was filled with warmth, from the inside and out. He recognized this feeling; although it was the first time he had really experienced it. Inside, the light thrummed._

_The boy smiled._

…

…

_Sekhmet – a much younger Sekhmet – trudged slowly up the hill to the family shrine, kicking at rocks as he silently fumed._

_He'd messed up, again. He'd thought he would surprise his father by getting Youta, their ox, ready for ploughing so that his father wouldn't have to. So he'd got up extra early that morning, dragged the large yoke from the shed, and had painstakingly coaxed Youta from his breakfast to the fence, which he'd then climbed to place the yoke over Youta's neck. But the yoke was too heavy for the small boy, and he'd lost his balance and fell on top of the ox. The sudden weight of a seven-year-old boy on his back had startled Youta so much that the ox had immediately bucked – throwing Sekhmet off – and took off, smashing the fence and trampling the family garden. When Sekhmet's father had arrived later that morning, he was greeted with a flattened garden, an indignant ox, and a muddied son. Sekhmet had been sent back to the house to wash while his father sorted out the mess._

_Sekhmet felt terrible; he was trying to be the perfect son, but every time he just screwed things up. He kicked irritably at a rock and wished that his brothers were here. Then maybe his father wouldn't be so disappointed, or so sad._

_His two older brothers were dead, killed two months ago fighting for their daimyo against an invading general. They had been brave, his brothers. But now it was just him – clumsy Sekhmet who couldn't even get a yoke around a stupid old ox._

_He sighed as he stepped into the small shrine. Small, oblong stones filled the tiny space; each inscribed with the names of people long dead. Well, almost. Sekhmet's eyes immediately landed on two deep grey stones not yet worn with age. He kneeled before them, reading the stark characters of his brothers' names. His lips trembled at the injustice of it all._

_Why did they have to die and leave him behind? He knew that as the only living son he had duties to his family – as his father was constantly reminding him – and he was trying hard to fulfill them, but he was only seven! Sometimes he wished he were older, or that his brothers were still alive; then maybe things would be different._

_Sekhmet sighed, lit the incense in the small bowl in front of his brothers' gravestones, and bowed his head in prayer. He just wanted his father to be happy. _

_Suddenly, he was aware of another presence in the shrine. Sekhmet opened his eyes, which widened in shock as he took in the hulking form before him. It was bathed in a great light and so he could only make out its vaguely human outline, but he felt no fear as he looked at it. Whatever it was, Sekhmet was sure it would not harm him._

_YOU CALLED, MASTER._

_The form didn't speak to him so much as through him, but Sekhmet didn't notice this. He gazed at the form in confusion._

"_Huh? I didn't call anybody."_

_The light paused before replying. YOU CALLED ME TO THIS PLACE, THE RESTING PLACE OF YOUR ANCESTORS, AND I HAVE COME._

_Sekhmet scrunched his face. "Come for what?"_

_I WILL SHOW YOU A DESTINY GREATER AND MORE DIFFICULT THAN YOUR FOREFATHERS HAVE EVER DREAMED FOR YOU. I WILL DO THIS, IF YOU ACCEPT ME._

_The little boy considered the form's words. He didn't know what it meant by destiny, but he understood the part about ancestors. He looked at his brothers' graves. Even if he couldn't bring them back, maybe this thing would help him be more like them – gracious, brave, and strong. Maybe then his father would be happy._

_He returned his gaze to the form and nodded, and the light came toward him – no, not toward him but into him, lodging with his soul as they became one._

…

…

_The young boy laughed as he raced through the woods, the hazy light of the moon making the shadows reach out to him as he nimbly darted under branch and bough. His grandmother hated it when he went out at night, but he'd given the old woman the slip and now he was free!_

_He loved the night. For as long as he could remember, he'd been fascinated with the world after nightfall. It was so different, so dark, and so beautiful! Every chance he'd get; he'd stay up, waiting for the stars to come out. Then he nip out and explore._

_There was so much to do and see at night; he didn't understand why everyone went home, why they stayed away from it. His friend Haru said it was because the dark was scary, but Cale had just scoffed at that; the dark, scary? Please._

_He ran this way and that in the woods, not caring where he was going. He laughed again and threw himself down on the freshly fallen snow. He rolled onto his back, his breath coming in tiny clouds as he stared up at the sky._

_It was dark, just like the woods. Clouds, heavy with snow, blocked out even the brightest stars, but Cale didn't mind; he preferred it this way: black, where the real world faded and another one, one rarely seen by man, took its place. Cale smiled; he liked that he got to see that world._

_The wind shifted and even the faint light from the moon disappeared as clouds passed over its shining face. The world vanished in darkness. To Cale's surprise, he found that he wasn't alone. He sat up straight and stared at the armored figure to his right. What? No one had been there a moment before, the boy was sure of it._

_While he stared, the figure turned its face toward him. It didn't have a face. Oddly enough, this didn't bother Cale. He stood up and faced the figure._

"_Who're you?" the boy demanded._

_The armor looked at him with sightless eyes. I AM YOU._

_Cale glanced down at himself, saw the worn winter clothes that hid skinny legs and an even smaller frame, and looked back at the stranger. "Nuh-uh."_

_The figure was adamant. WE ARE ONE AND THE SAME, CHILD. WE DO NOT FEAR THAT WHICH IS UNSEEN. WE ARE DARKNESS._

_Well he didn't know about that, but he did agree with the being fearless part. Cale put his hands on his hips and cocked his head at the stranger. "What're you doing here, then? Are you lost?"_

_The armor paused, as if considering the boy's question. Then it spoke._

_I AM NOT LOST, BUT FOUND. YOU ARE FEARLESS IN MY DOMAIN. YOU ARE MY MASTER, IF YOU ACCEPT ME. _

_Cale's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Accept what?"_

_TO BE FREE._

_As the figure spoke, Cale felt the breeze of a thousand nighttimes wrap around him, whispering of forgotten secrets and endless possibilities. The boy smiled and looked the figure in the face._

"_I accept you."_

_Barely had the words left his mouth then the figure disappeared, and Cale had the strangest sensation of __**becoming**__ as the armor bonded with his spirit. From within him, deep within the center of his true self, the voice spoke again._

_REMEMBER, CHILD THAT THIS POWER SOUGHT YOU AND CHOSE YOU OF ITS OWN FREE WILL. AS LONG AS YOU WISH IT, IT WILL BE THE LIGHT TO SHOW YOU THE WAY._

…

…

Slowly, three long dormant virtues awakened and flared to life.

_Serenity …_

… _Piety …_

… _Obedience …_

Kayura stared at the warlords and the glowing symbols on their foreheads in shock. What was happening?

XX

His whole body ached. He'd been like this for days, stretched out like a fish waiting to be gutted. The dynasty liked him like this: Exposed. Helpless. Weak.

And they liked playing with his mind. Every so often – he had long since lost track of when – spirits born from the very darkest of the dynasty's pits would surround him and his companion, and fill them with visions.

He'd struggled so hard against them, against his captivity. But they'd just stared at him with sightless eyes and continued to weave their endless deceptions. But no matter how hard he fought, they kept coming. They always came.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the pillar. He was just so tired …

Crystal blue eyes snapped open and were suddenly alert. Something was happening. He wondered if it was those dynasty spirits, come to play with his mind again, but somehow he knew that wasn't it. This felt different, and yet familiar. He frowned; where had he felt this before?

He cried out as whatever it was hit him full force. He instinctively grabbed at his heart, but the binders held him back. His wrists flared with pain, but for once he didn't notice it as his entire body was consumed with a pain more terrible than anything he had ever felt.

He imagined, somewhat dimly as his vision began to blacken, that if a soul could scream, this is what it would feel like.

A second wave hit him, and then another. An answering cry from behind him told the boy that his companion was going through the same horrifying agony as he.

_Oh good,_ he thought as he blacked out. _At least I'm not the only one._

XX

Anubis gasped and grabbed the side of a nearby wall for support. They'd left the sanctuary some time ago and were steadily making their way through the maze of passageways that surrounded Talpa's fortress. Anubis was leading them.

He was dimly aware of a gentle hand touching his elbow, silently asking him what was wrong but the man couldn't respond.

His face went white as his soul cried out in sudden terror, and he gripped the Staff so hard that his fingernails drew blood. There was another spasm, another cry for help. On its heels came a third and his vision blurred. The monk fought the urge to gag; it came out as a choked cough. It was difficult to breathe.

Gradually the feeling of terror dulled; replaced with a cautious wariness. Through his body's chaos, Anubis was surprised; he knew that feeling. Slowly, the monk pulled himself together.

When his vision stabilized, he looked around, not surprised to see the ronin in similar states of distress. Rowen looked like he was about to throw up, and Kento didn't look much better.

"What – " Ryo gasped, bent over as if he'd just been punched in the gut. Which, in a way, he had. "What was that?"

Anubis breathed deep and calmed himself. He looked inward …

"Cale …" he murmured. "Dais …"

"What?"

He opened his eyes. "It's the warlords," he explained, looking at his young companions. "They're turning."

Rowen frowned. "Turning into what?"

"Ronin."

XX

Cale collapsed against the ground, his head spinning violently, and without warning he heaved the contents of his stomach onto the floor. He spat and wiped at his mouth, noticing that his hands were shaking. He clenched them into fists and fought back another wave of nausea. Dammit! He couldn't take much more of this.

"What the hell was that?" he growled. Cale kept his head down; the dizziness had yet to pass.

"The truth," Kayura replied quietly. Her voice shook, as if she, too, had been affected by their ordeal. Somehow, Cale doubted that.

"No!" Sekhmet cried, and it made the normally unflappable warlords flinch to hear it. It was the cry of old loss made fresh. The warlord of Venom slammed his fist into the floor, causing the wood to splinter around his knuckles. "I lost them!" He bowed his head and wept. "I lost them all."

Something that Sekhmet said triggered Cale's memory. "Not lost, but found," he murmured. He looked at his armor in wonder; across the room, Dais was doing the same.

"Do not let them control you," the white haired warrior intoned. Suddenly, his eyes went wide and he pulled himself up. He stood on shaking feet, but held his ground; a fire was blazing in his eyes.

"Talpa!" He said the name like it was cursed. "He tricked us! The armors are not his; they are ours!" He trembled with rage; Dais could not believe that he, the master of illusion, had been so deceived. "He lied! The bas – "

The room shook. Dais paused in his rant and even Sekhmet raised his head to look around. What now?

Kayura took three hasty steps back, her eyes wide with fear.

_Not him! Not yet!_

He stood where an instant before had been nothing. The warlords started at his appeared, unconsciously sliding as far away from him as possible. He ignored this; it really didn't matter what they did – there was no escape, and he knew it.

He looked at Dais – the warlord suddenly felt very insignificant, and very afraid – and addressed them all. His voice thundered in the small room.

"I did not lie when I said I control your armors. They are bound to your souls, which you gave to me. And I will not let you go."

Talpa clenched his fists and the warlords cried out as their wills were cruelly taken from them. Too late, they realized what being the demon's servant truly meant. Instantly submitting to Talpa's silent command, the three warlords turned into balls of light and disappeared, prisoners in their own bodies.

Kayura stared at the space where the warlords had been moments before, too shaken to move. She felt Talpa's gaze turn to her; slowly, she forced herself to look at him. The demon smiled.

"Been playing dress up, Kayura?"

She glanced at the Mirror still in her hands and back at Talpa. She'd held his gaze for only an instant when he rushed at her. She screamed, and then her world went black.


	24. Cheap Tricks

_**Twenty-three**_

"So are the warlords on our side, now?"

No one knew the answer to that. Their connection to the familiar-strange presence had faded in the hours since the triple outburst of power until it had ceased altogether. From the warlords they now sensed nothing.

Ryo shook his head. "I don't think they would leave Talpa so easily."

Kento wasn't sure, and said so. "But what we felt – that was intense; way more than when Anubis switched sides. _Something_ had to have happened to them."

Anubis didn't say anything; he remembered all too well how Talpa had reacted when he had shown signs of doubt; the warlords were probably going through similar treatment now. He sighed; he'd warned them.

Anubis cleared his throat. "We're almost there."

The discussion died down as their attention shifted to the task at hand. They turned a corner and paused at the end of the narrow corridor. Anubis pointed to Talpa's fortress. It loomed ahead, just beyond the final gate: a massive waterway that was more like a river than a traditional moat. Barges filled with soldiers sailed from one side to the other, their progress monitored by sleepless eyes in high watchtowers.

Anubis pointed at a particularly high tower; this one stretched into the sky, well above the height of the others. Small lights moved around the tower's head in wide, circular paths. Even from this distance the ronin could tell there was something sinister about them.

"Your friends are there." He indicated the moving lights. "Those are spirits; they are one of many that guard the ronin."

Ryo's gaze wandered over the boats and the wide river. He frowned. "So how do we get inside?"

Anubis shifted and moved the staff to his other hand. He made sure that the rings didn't rub against one another; this close to the fortress, it would attract too much unwanted attention.

"We will have to sneak aboard the boats; the river is much too wide for us to cross on our own. Plus, the water is home to many unpleasant things." The ronin shuddered as shadowy outlines of nasty, evil things lurking in the water rose to their minds. Anubis saw this and agreed. "You do not want to fall in." He turned back to the fortress and continued.

"We'll have to take two boats; three in one, two in another. There are tarps on board that we can use for cover. We must get to the other side undetected." He shifted to his left. "Once we are across, we need to go there." Anubis pointed to a small building beneath one of the watchtowers. "It leads to the Eye" – here he referred to the tall, spindly tower where Sage and Cye were held – "but the path is full of traps designed to confuse, delay, and destroy intruders. The Eye itself is more unpleasant, guarded as it is by Talpa's strongest and deadliest warriors, save for the warlords themselves." The monk took a breath and turned to the ronin. Four stricken faces stared back at him.

Kento raised a hand. "Uh, isn't there an easier way to do this?"

Anubis gave the young man a look. "This _is_ the easy way."

Kento blanched. "Oh." He looked at the dark fortress and twirled a finger. "Yay."

Rowen shook his head and sighed. Ryo didn't respond with words. There was a shimmer and he stood in full armor. The others followed suit.

Selena adjusted her sword. "Well," she said, nodding at the tower, "it's not going to move itself. Let's go."

XX

Mia sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, doing her best to ignore the growing storm outside. She scanned the open page before her, her frown deepening the further she went. Then, not finding what she sought, she closed the book with a bit more force than necessary, and let out a frustrated breath. Nothing! Two days of searching and reading through every conceivable book, index, pamphlet, and motley assortment of papers that she could think of, and she'd found nothing of use.

Well, nearly nothing. She glanced at her notes – a paltry page and a half of torn notebook paper – and fought the urge to hurl the nearest book (which happened to be a voluminous tome on 15th century weaponry) at the workroom wall.

How had Rowen and Selena managed to pinpoint the first two treasures at all? She'd thought that, after locating treasures one and two, the third would be easy to identify. But no. Whoever had created the treasures had hidden them well.

Mia gazed at her grandfather's computer thoughtfully. Selena had mentioned that the sun goddess had given mankind a jeweled necklace, and the Mirror of Truth had been found in her cave – and the Ancients' symbol with them. Perhaps the third treasure was somehow connected to them as well.

With renewed determination, she started typing. An image came up on the screen. Her mouth fell open in shock.

"No. It can't be."

But there it was, right in front of her. Thunder crashed outside; it was awfully close, but Mia ignored it.

"Yuli!" she yelled, "Come here! You won't believe this!"

The redhead started to push away from the computer, and the wall exploded.

Mia instinctively ducked to shield herself from flying debris and the rain now falling freely into the room. As she crouched beneath the computer desk there was another crash, this time of breaking glass. From her place under the desk she saw three pairs of armored boots – one trailed by a cape – land in the room.

Mia froze. _Oh, no._

They paused, apparently scanning the room, and then one issued an order. "Find the boy."

Mia watched, paralyzed, as one of the intruders left the room; she knew that voice. She drew her legs tight against her chest, willing herself to become smaller.

The warlords were here.

XX

They almost made it across undetected.

Safely docked on the other side of the river, the ronin waited for the last of the soldiers' footfalls to disappear. Satisfied that no one would hear them, Anubis ripped back the canvas that covered them, and Ryo, with his swords at the ready in case there were any lingering samurai, stepped out –

– and almost immediately tripped over some rope, pitched forward, tried to steady himself against several stacked crates, failed, and both ronin and boxes fell to the ground with a loud crash.

A cry went up, followed closely by the sound of rushing, heavily armed bodies. With a curse, Rowen stepped over his fallen comrade, whipped out his bow, and fired.

The arrow released, flew, and struck a soldier between the eyes. The clueless samurai spun from the force of the blow, struck the barge's railing, and pitched over the side.

By the time the unlucky soldier hit the water, the deck was swarming with dynasty soldiers.

"So much for sneaking in," Rowen muttered, and slid another arrow into position.

A spiraling, fiery vortex slammed into the advancing force, instantly turning the dark soldiers into man-shaped towers of flame and smoke. Those that could dove overboard; the rest flailed wildly, trailing fire across the barge.

Startled by the sudden attack, Rowen jumped, and his arrow went wide. It hit one of the crates stacked on the barge and splintered the wooden casing. Powder poured from the opening onto the deck in a black waterfall.

Ryo's eyes went wide. "Is that – ?"

Anubis turned, looked where the ronin was pointing. His heart sank. "Oh, _no_."

Flames snaked across the barge, eagerly setting alight anything in its path. Wooden planks cracked under the samurai's burning feet; rope and canvas smoldered, glowed red, flared and burst into flame. The powder was no exception. There was a brief spark; a burst of ozone, and the dark pile flared brilliantly, this new fire headed straight for the broken crate.

The ronin were already running.

A sudden surge of heat blossomed at their rear –

– they reached the railing –

– jumped –

– and went deaf at the sound of five tons of timber, rigging, and freight rapidly becoming a million flaming fragments.

They hit the water with a splash that was lost in the raging inferno. Keenly aware that a giant, flaming, and rapidly sinking ship was only yards behind them, they swam – hard, doing their best to avoid the various planks, smoldering canvas, and bits of soldier that fell around them with loud 'thunks', and occasionally dousing the trio with a spray of steaming water.

The wreckage struck the river bottom with a mighty groan. Reaching the shore, the ronin turned to see that only the prow remained above the surface. Selena and Kento met their companions on the beach, staring with wide eyes at what was only moments ago a fully intact and functional ship.

They watched as the barge bobbed, momentarily defying the forces pulling it down. Then there was a rush of air as it gave in to gravity, and the ship disappeared into the river.

Rowen coughed and spit out a mouthful of water. "Well," he rasped, wiping his face, "that wasn't so bad."

Dripping wet, his companions stared at him in disbelief; then Ryo broke out in a grin and started to laugh.

Thirty seconds later, someone shot them. With incredible accuracy.

XX

Her hiding place didn't remain secret for long. Moments after the warlord's departure, Sekhmet's leering kabuto appeared under the table. He stared right at her.

"Hello, little one."

Mia jerked back, hit her head on the underside of the table, and fell flat on her rear. Scrambling to her feet, she backed rapidly away from Sekhmet and bumped into something solid. It was Cale.

Gasping, Mia turned, but by this time Sekhmet had cleared the table and approached her from behind. Strong arms grabbed her and pulled her roughly against an armored body. Mia struggled, but it was useless; she was trapped. She settled for glaring at the warlords instead.

"What do you want?"

Dais appeared in the doorway, a kicking and thrashing Yuli firmly in his grasp.

"Let me go, you big goon! Put me dow – "

A dagger appeared at the boy's throat; he wisely fell silent.

Cale glanced at Yuli and back at Mia. He smiled. "Now I think that would be obvious."

He approached the smaller woman and withdrew his sword. "You know what the third treasure is." He stroked the blade with dangerous purpose and leveled it at her. "Tell me."

XX

Without armor to protect him, Anubis went down first.

The monk fell to the ground, staring unbelieving at the dark stain spreading rapidly across his chest. He put his hand on the stain, lifted it. The palm came back red.

Rowen shot once, twice –

By the time Strata's arrows reached the archers gathered on the distant stone parapet, he'd already released another three. These also hit their marks, but still more arrows came.

The dynasty soldiers released a volley into the sky. Crouched protectively over Anubis, Selena's eyes went wide.

_Oh, shit._

"Kento!" Ryo cried, the sound both an order and a plea.

"Way ahead of you, buddy." The warrior of strength grabbed one of the crates that had drifted on shore from the destroyed barge, lifted it, and hurled it into the sky.

Selena watched with growing dread as the crate arched, gaining altitude on its collision course; there was no way it could stop the attack –

There was a loud 'twang' – an arrow, wreathed in flame hurtled upward from Strata's bow, trailing smoke as it flew higher and higher, straight toward the wooden crate –

The crate exploded, blew apart, went nova with a tremendous bang, briefly illuminating the archers' stunned faces before descending on them in a maelstrom of flaming, volatile debris.

"Nice job," Selena commented dryly as a second explosion took out the archers and part of the wall they were standing on. "Think the dynasty will notice?"

XX

Mia stared nervously at the wicked-looking blade that was inches from her face. She willed herself to look at Cale.

"I – I don't know what you mean."

"She lies," Dais spoke from the doorway. Mia winced; she'd forgotten that he could sense deception.

Cale favored her with a sickly smile.

"Wrong answer," he said. He raised his sword; Mia cringed, waiting for the inevitable.

There was a roar, followed closely by a thud, and Yuli was flying in the air. Distracted, the warlord's grip on her loosened. Mia dropped to her knees; Cale's sword went straight through the space where her head had been and struck Sekhmet. In the few seconds it took for the warlord to wrench his blade free from his comrade's armor, Mia twisted, ripped herself from Sekhmet's hold, and kicked Cale in the groin.

With the warlord cursing her name, Mia got to her feet and stumbled to the doorway – only to find it blocked by a mass of white fur. White Blaze reared up on his hind legs, roared, and swiped at Dais with one of his enormous paws. The warlord blocked the attack with one of his kama, and then returned the blow with another. White Blaze caught the weapon in his teeth and snapped it in half. Hesitating for a fraction of a second, Dais took a step back; it was all the tiger needed. With an earth-shattering roar, White Blaze leaped into the room, taking the Warlord of Illusion with him.

Mia hastily backed herself behind two bookshelves, hoping that they would temporarily hide her from the warlords. Feeling as secure as she could in a room with three dark warlords and an angry tiger, she yelled for Yuli.

"Over here!" his tiny voice returned.

He was under a display case. The warlords hadn't seen him yet, but that wouldn't last. She ran to him, holding her hand out to him. Something collided with the case and the glass shattered. Mia cried out – partially in pain as glass shards cut through her clothes and pierced her skin, and partially in dismay at the priceless art of her grandfather's collection, now ruined.

Yuli was way ahead of her. Acting fast, he reached inside the destroyed case and grabbed hold of the first object he found – a seventeenth century urn, ornately painted; it probably belonged to a noble or former prince – and hurled it at the back of Sekhmet's skull. It fell short of its goal, striking Cale's breastplate, shattering brilliantly. A small dust cloud surrounded the warlords, temporarily obscuring their sight.

Yuli wasted no time in throwing another artifact, this one a metal orb. Heavier than the urn, it made a shallow arc, hit the floor, rolled, and bumped against Cale's armored boot. Annoyed with being attacked with ancient artifacts, Cale sneered at Yuli.

"Do not mock me, boy." He kicked the orb roughly with his boot; it flew in the air and embedded itself in the far wall. Behind him Sekhmet chuckled. "Is that all?"

"No!"

The warlords turned – and were knocked to the floor by a chair to the face. It splintered and broke as it struck them. Mia stood over the fallen duo, a piece of a chair leg clutched tightly in her hands. She looked shaken, as if she couldn't believe she had just attacked the dark warlords with a dinner chair. She didn't have time to recover, however, as the warlords, so easily upended, were just as quickly back on their feet.

Sekhmet rolled his shoulders; an ugly crack sounded in the room. He glared at the two humans.

"So you want to play dirty?" He withdrew one of his swords and leveled it at the pair. "Good."

XX

The ronin didn't wait for the dynasty to investigate. They gladly left the river behind, making their way closer to Talpa's fortress, pausing once to hide as a group of soldiers hurried toward the socks, and again to check on Anubis's wound, which hadn't stopped bleeding.

The ronin exchanged worried glances. An arrow protruded from the point where Anubis's left shoulder and collarbone met, the shaft deeply embedded several inches into his flesh. The cloth around the injury was soaked with blood, and his left arm hung limply at his side.

Ryo nodded to the arrow. "That needs to come out."

Anubis disagreed, and said so. "I'll be fine."

Although he didn't show it, the ronin knew the monk was in agony. Ryo glanced at Rowen and Kento, and before Anubis could do anything, the two ronin grabbed him, holding him from behind. Ryo stepped up to the monk. "You can thank me later," he said, and grasping the shaft as close to the wound as he could, pulled.

Anubis gave an anguished cry as the arrow was torn from his flesh. Fresh blood poured from the wound.

The ronin worked quickly, tearing pieces of fabric from Anubis's kimono and handing them to Selena, who wrapped them tight around his wound. Within minutes the bleeding slowed, and the five breathed easier. But they weren't finished yet.

Ripping the sleeve of his kimono from its seam, Selena fashioned a rudimentary sling from the fabric, and, holding his injured arm gently, carefully eased the sling into place.

"Thank you," Anubis said, his breath brushing her ear as she secured the sling around his neck. Selena looked up at him but did not smile. "Just promise me that I'll never have to do this again." Her voice was shaking.

With his good hand, Anubis made an 'X' over his heart, then laid his hand over hers. "I promise."

"Good." She kissed him lightly, then handed him his staff. "Now let's get those bastards."

XX

Sekhmet threw his sword faster than sight could follow it. There was a flash and a thud, followed closely by a cry: pinned to the wall, the sword caught in his sweater, Yuli dangled perhaps two inches from the floor.

In three strides Mia was next to him. She grabbed the massive handle and pulled with all her might, but the sword refused to budge. Desperate, she scanned the various banners and scrolls on the wall, and landed on an ancient katana on display.

Tossing subtlety aside in favor of speed, Mia lunged suddenly to the right, her arms outstretched. Realizing her intent, Cale issued an order; a second sword missed her neck by an inch.

Her fingers curled around the scabbard, and wrenching the katana from its sheath, she turned and swung at Yuli. There was a faint sound of fabric ripping, and then a thud as the boy dropped to the floor.

For a moment Yuli sat unmoving, stunned as he stared at his torn sweater; then he shrugged off the ruined clothing and turned –

– only to run into Sekhmet.

With a startled yelp, the boy quickly backtracked.

Like a shadow, Cale was behind him at once.

Somehow sensing him, Yuli twirled, the Jewel of Life whipping around his neck from the forceful movement. Cale watched the Jewel settle against the boy's breast; it was dull. He glanced at Sekhmet, issuing a silent order; and they stepped forward, arms raised.

XX

The black tower loomed overhead, so close that they could see the individual tiles that made up the enormous structure. Selena craned her neck, sighting the spirits that circled the tower's spire. Of all the dynasty, only they appeared unconcerned with the chaos going on at the river. For some reason, that unnerved her – _a lot._

They were hiding behind a wall that ended several yards from the tower and its attached guardhouse – unfortunately, the dynasty was not so stupid as to provide cover for attacking armies – or, in their case, five overly cautious, anxious teenagers with one hell of a bone to pick with the management. Nothing but open space, a thousand unseen but ever-present sentries, a half dozen circling demonic spirits, and a handful of surly-looking guards stood between them and their goal.

And Anubis had said that this was the easy way.

Selena took a deep breath. "Okay, so what do you think we should – Kento!"

That last part came out as a moan as Kento, disregarding all common sense, strode from behind their hiding place and marched directly towards the watchtower, naginata in hand.

XX

"No!"

Desperately, Mia hit Cale with her katana, but it only enraged rather than harmed him. He turned and struck her, moving too fast for her to deflect the blow. Mia crashed into her desk, taking the computer with her as she fell over the top and tumbled to the floor.

"Mia!"

Whether he called out of concern for her or himself, Yuli didn't know; Sekhmet grabbed him almost as soon as Mia hit the table.

Yuli shivered in the warlord's grasp. He tried to reach for the Jewel, but Sekhmet's armored hand stopped him.

"Not today, boy."

The warlord's hand left his and traveled down the beaded chain around the boy's neck, fingers reaching for the jewel. Yuli gasped and jerked back, lashing out at the warlord in an attempt to put some distance between them, but Sekhmet ignored him. Yuli opened his mouth –

A roar shook the room, and Yuli briefly went deaf. A moment later something heavy slammed into Sekhmet from behind, toppling the warlord in a great white blur. Man and tiger tumbled into Cale, and Yuli was nearly pulled with them, but he was smaller than the others. Curling into a ball, Yuli kicked at Sekhmet's hands and propelled himself away from the melee. Untangling himself, he watched in stupefied awe as they crashed into an adjoining bookshelf, which quickly upended, spilling its contents over the floor and struggling trio.

A third cry from somewhere near the doorway reminded Yuli that not all the warlords were accounted for. He pulled himself up, tucked the Jewel of Life securely into his shirt, and ran to the destroyed computer desk. He found Mia lying next to a mess of cords, books, and computer fragments; there were some cuts on her forehead and arms, but otherwise she appeared to be okay.

Even so, Yuli was wary. He gently touched her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Mia groaned and blinked, opening her eyes to stare groggily at Yuli. After a moment, she nodded.

"We have to get out of here."

"Yeah, but how?" Yuli asked, pulling Mia to her feet. "The way's blocked."

He pointed to the doorway; a large oak shelf was lodged in the frame, presumably placed there by one of the more forward-thinking warlords. Mia gasped; that had belonged to her great-aunt!

She risked a glance at the battle. White Blaze was all snarls and flashing teeth. He was holding his own against the three warlords, who seemed intent on eliminating the raging tiger. But for all his great strength, she knew White Blaze couldn't hold them off forever. As if to emphasize her point, one of the warlords' weapons hit true. The great cat yelped and buckled, and then regrouped and swiped at the offending warlord. Mia sighed a heavy, tired sigh; there wasn't much time.

Yuli tugged at her jacket. "What do we do?"

Never had Mia wished that the ronin were here more than she did now. They would know what to do; they could fight the warlords – or at the very least get them out of here.

But they weren't here, and with White Blaze's strength quickly failing they had to rely on each other.

A stray sword flew from the group and hit the ceiling tip-first. Mia grabbed Yuli and pulled him down just as the sword fell, blade spinning wildly; it ricocheted off of some large debris, headed straight towards them.

Without pausing to think, Mia grabbed the broken back of her computer chair and thrust it in front of her. The blade tore through the thick wood, stopping inches from her face. Hands shaking, Mia threw the makeshift shield aside and ducked behind the sad remains of her desk. Her face was white.

"We have to get out of here; we're either going to get captured or killed if we stay."

"But the door's blocked – "

"I know!" Mia softened her voice. "I know. But we have to leave. If there was only some way to get out …"

As she spoke, her eyes landed on the room's remaining window. It was relatively free of debris, and unlike the others, overlooked a balcony instead of ground. She grabbed Yuli's arm.

"Yuli, look! The window!" She sifted through the debris around them, and found an old samurai helmet. Other than a crack running from eyebrow to eyebrow, it was unharmed. She hefted it, testing its weight. Mia nodded; it would do. "We'll break the window, jump down to the second floor balcony, and leave! Let's go!"

Yuli followed her with stunned and apprehensive eyes. "Jump?" he gulped, but Mia didn't hear him; she stood up and with all her might hurled the helmet at the window. It shattered brilliantly.

Acutely aware that the warlords would be on them in any second, Mia turned, grabbed Yuli, and ran. Together, they leapt through the jagged window. Seconds later, fury erupted behind them.

XX

By some miracle, the guards didn't see him until it was too late. Kento decapitated one guard who happened to be looking in the other direction, and with a mighty swing wrapped the chain of his naginata around the neck of another, pulled and twisted, hard.

A sickening 'crack' echoed in the open space. The guard dropped, lifeless, to the ground.

By now, Ryo was halfway across the yard, with Rowen and Selena not far behind.

Pulling his bow free, Rowen fired at a guard who appeared to be more quick-witted than his fellows, striking him in the hand. The demon dropped his weapon and started screaming.

"Ow, ow, ow, _ow_!" It would have been funny, if it wasn't so dangerous. Another shot silenced him for good.

Selena and Ryo took out a soldier each. The guards offered surprisingly little resistance, but Selena didn't have time to think about it; she spun, ducked to avoid a swipe that would have taken her head off, and lunged, dispatching her opponent with a particularly savage thrust through the stomach.

Going for the simple approach, Kento got rid of the final two guards by grabbing their helmets and slamming their heads together. Knocked out, they collapsed on top of each other, fell, and landed on the ground with a loud 'thud.'

Kento looked around at the dead and unconscious guards and grinned. "Problem solved."

Rowen rolled his eyes at the announcement. "Thank you. Now can we please go inside before the whole dynasty knows where we are?"

Hardrock only shrugged. "Hey, if you wanted subtlety, you shouldn't have blown up a barge." He turned to the tower, hands on his hips. "How do we get inside this thing, anyway?"

"I will open the way," Anubis announced. He walked through the group until he stood before the tower. "I know the password."

Rowen looked from the tower to the monk. "What if Talpa's changed it? How do we get in, then?"

Anubis gave the ronin a knowing look. "It's not that kind of password."

Facing the tall structure, the monk closed his eyes and uttered a series of words under his breath. Catching some of them, the ronin glanced at each other in confusion – whatever Anubis was saying, it wasn't in any language they recognized.

Anubis moved the staff so that it rested against his right shoulder, and then shoved his good hand under the bandages covering his wound.

"What - ?"

The ronin were silenced as, grimacing slightly, Anubis removed his hand and placed the bloody palm against the tower's death-black exterior. The solid surface shimmered and a door appeared, silently sliding open. Beyond was nothing but darkness.

Selena waited for the alarms to start blaring, for them to be surrounded by a million soldiers holding sharp things, but nothing came. Oddly enough, knowing that there was nothing to stop them from entering the tower did not reassure her. And neither did Anubis's next words.

"It needed a sacrifice," he explained simply, wiping his hand on his koromo.

No one had time to process those words as Anubis grasped the staff and took a step forward –

"No. I'll go first."

Anubis stopped, turning to face the determined speaker. "Ryo – " A hand on his arm silenced him. "Anubis," the youth said, and the tone of his voice brokered no argument. "I'll go first."

The older man hesitated, but eventually relented, moving aside to let Ryo through, and the small group entered the dynasty's most guarded fortress.

XX

They landed on the balcony hard; Mia screamed as something in her foot snapped. White-hot pain shot up her leg, her vision swam, and suddenly all she wanted to do was lay down and rest, but she resisted the urge; danger was hard on their heels.

Once more, Yuli pulled her to her feet. The pair fumbled with the lock on the balcony doors and then stumbled back inside the lodge, running – or in Mia's case, hobbling – as fast as they could.

The sounds on the third floor were strangely muted, but too much pain and fear clouded Mia's mind for her to give it much thought.

They turned a corner and Mia fell as she tripped on a rug. Yuli, several feet ahead of her, turned back to help her and then suddenly stopped, his eyes growing wide with fear. Mia turned and her heart sank when she caught sight of the dark figure approaching them from the room they'd just vacated. Distantly, she wished she still had that katana; it wouldn't do much, but it'd make her feel less vulnerable.

She twisted back to Yuli, who was frozen to the spot. "Run!" She told him, knowing that the warlords were after the Jewel. "Run!"

The boy hesitated; loathe to leave Mia injured and alone. He fought with himself, and deciding, withdrew the Jewel. Seeing the movement, the figure leaped.

Mia screamed and Yuli recoiled –

- and stared in disbelief. Yuli blinked and then smiled.

"White Blaze!"

The tiger stood between the two, his normally pristine fur matted with blood, particularly around his right shoulder, and patches of fur looked curiously gnawed, as if they had been eaten off; and a fire burned in his brown eyes. He looked at Yuli with an air of urgency, and the boy didn't need Ryo to understand what he meant.

"Yes," Yuli said, his fear melting away as he looked in the tiger's eyes. "It is time to go back."

Mia was confused. "What? Back where?"

"To the dynasty," Yuli said simply.

Mia's eyes went huge. "But what about the warlords?" She glanced behind her as if she expected them to barge through the door at any moment.

"Don't worry about them," Yuli said dismissively. He spoke with a confidence that he'd not had a minute ago. He held up the Jewel, and this time it was glowing. He walked next to Mia and linked her hand with his; White Blaze stood protectively behind them.

Yuli smiled at Mia. Suddenly, he looked so much older than his eight years. "They'll be there. They all will."

Mia barely had time to wonder at that cryptic proclamation before the Jewel flashed and a bright golden light swallowed them.

XX

Dais saw the glass shatter first, Sekhmet second. A wave of venom, bubbling and eating at the walls and floor, reached the window too late; they were already gone. Then that blasted tiger was clawing his way through them – he gave Dais a parting kick to the abdomen – and in seconds had followed the humans through the window, mindless of the venom-drenched shards that grabbed his fur as he sped through the too-small hole. Cale screamed in fury, echoing how Dais felt. His eyes darkened as they landed on his broken kama; he would make the tiger pay.

He adjusted his remaining weapons, ready to go after those brats; for a human, it was quite a fall from that window. He was certain that they did not make it uninjured; they would be easy to catch, and then … then the fun would begin.

Dais chuckled, his mind full of dark thoughts.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get the humans and make them pay!" Sekhmet's deep voice rumbled.

Safely out of view, Dais rolled his eyes. Always impatient, Sekhmet was. He never understood the beauty in waiting that made the prize so much … sweeter. But perhaps in this case he was right; they didn't want the humans to get too far …

"Naughty little mice," he whispered to himself. "Grab them, squeeze them, pull their tails out, and make them squeak until they pop … yess …"

"No." The dark, authoritative voice broke into his thoughts and left no room for argument. Sekhmet and Dais looked back at their commander. He was standing over the remains of a desk, staring at a beige-colored box lying on its side.

The two warlords glanced at each other.

"What do you mean? Our orders – "

Cale silenced them with a glance. He turned the box around. Its screen was cracked and it blinked occasionally, but the image it showed was clear: a sword with a snow-white tang and a bright red hilt.

Dais smiled. "So this is what the little minx tried to hide from us."

"Yes," Cale replied. "The third treasure."

**Notes:**

Whoo – damn, it's been a long time, huh? Almost a year, in fact. Sorry about that – working two jobs (one of which was retail – and during the holidays) didn't leave much time (or energy) for writing. Then, as I was in the middle of writing this chapter, I got stuck with the worst case of writer's block I have ever had. It was awful – I knew where to go, but not how to get there. And everything I wrote I hated. So it is with some irony that I admit that the vast majority of this chapter was written during my 'where has my mojo gone?' period. In fact, I quite like this chapter. I hope the transitions weren't too confusing – I had a bitch of a time figuring out where to cut things off, and where to place certain scenes … Then I realized that it had been a year since I'd last updated, said "screw it," and just finished the damn thing. Yay! I even got my groove back! So, double yay!

Also: two more chapters, plus an epilogue to go! Thanks for sticking with me!


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